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Introduction: Whilst pharmacists are recognized as key contributors to antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs, the extent of their participation varies in different countries. We report a systematic review of pharmacist roles in AMS over 20 years. Methods: A systematic review of the literature describing pharmacist-led or driven AMS and its outcomes published in English between January 01, 2000, and June 30, 2020, was conducted across the main databases for research publication. Results: The analysis included 111 papers, of which 77.5% (86/111) were from high-income countries (HIC) predominantly from the USA. While pharmacist-led or driven AMS interventions were reported only from HICs in the early 2000s, the review found a progressive rise in such studies from all income settings with audit and feedback being the most frequent intervention reported. Between 2016 and 2020, studies on pharmacists-led or driven outpatient AMS and interventions related to beta-lactam or penicillin allergy were reported from HICs. Key outcomes reported include improved appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy and decreased consumption of antimicrobials. Conclusion: Existing evidence demonstrates the positive impact of pharmacists’ involvement in AMS. There needs to be a concerted effort in facilitating pharmacist roles in AMS across all countries, irrespective of income setting.

Background: Despite broad COVID-19 vaccination coverage in India, hesitancy persists, limiting the achievement of 100 % vaccination coverage across the country to prevent the ongoing transmission of the infection. We explored the key drivers of vaccine hesitancy among unvaccinated adults in semi-urban regions of Kerala, India. Method: ology: Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted from April to May 2022, using purposive sampling to enroll participants with the help of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers. Participation in the interviews was voluntary and was conducted at the participant's residence at a time convenient for the participants. Audio files of the interviews were transcribed verbatim, and the anonymized data underwent a multistage thematic analysis using the constant comparative method. Results: In our study with 35 unvaccinated individuals were interviewed. Identified factors for vaccine hesitancy were categorized into different themes: individual factors (35 %), vaccine-related factors (33.33 %), and social/environmental factors (31.67 %). Conclusions: Targeted communication strategies and behavioural change interventions need be employed to mitigate major drivers of vaccine hesitancy. Addressing vaccine hesitancy requires multifaceted strategies including community engagement, collaboration with alternative medical systems, healthcare worker education, prioritizing vulnerable populations, and transparent communication about vaccine safety and adverse events. Implementing these measures will help overcome barriers and enhance vaccine coverage.

Background:. Effective operating theater (OT) communication and teamwork are essential to optimal surgical outcomes. We mapped the OT team dynamics and infection control practices using visual methods to guide reflexive feedback and optimize perioperative practices. Methods:. Data were gathered from adult gastrointestinal surgical teams at a tertiary hospital in India using observations, sociograms (communication mapping tool), and focus group discussions (FGDs). Our methods aimed to map team communication, roles and responsibilities in infection-related practices, and door openings. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results:. Data were gathered from 10 surgical procedures (over 51 hours) using 16 sociograms, 15 traffic flow maps, and 3 FGDs. Senior surgeons directly influence team hierarchies, dynamics, and communication. While the surgeons, anesthetic residents, and technicians lead most tasks during procedures, the scrub nurse acts as a mediator coordinating activity among role players across hierarchies. Failing to provide the scrub nurse with complete details of the planned surgery leads to multiple door openings to fetch equipment and disposables. Traffic flow observed in 15-minute intervals corresponds to a mean frequency of 56 door openings per hour (min: 16; max: 108), with implications for infection control. Implementing the World Health Organization surgical safety checklist was inconsistent across pathways and does not match reported compliance data. Conclusions:. Human factors research is important in optimizing surgical teamwork. Using visual methods to provide feedback to perioperative teams on their communication patterns and behaviors, provided an opportunity for contextualized enhancement of infection prevention and control practices.

Introduction: Insufficient training in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in the pharmacy curricula limits pharmacists’ participation in AMS activities in India. We explored the potential impact of an AMR curriculum implemented as part of a research project in one of the pharmacy colleges in Kerala, India. Methods: Data were collected using documentary analysis (minutes of meetings and the AMR curriculum developed) and semi-structured qualitative interviews with key informants face-to-face or via the Zoom platform at the participant's convenience. Anonymized interview transcripts were thematically analyzed aided by NVivo 12 software. Results: We interviewed faculty (n = 4), clinical pharmacists (n = 3), and students (n = 6) involved in the design, implementation, and use of the new curriculum. The development and implementation of the new curriculum was conducted through strategically planned and established methodology with equal involvement from the pharmacy college and the research project team. Challenges in this process included a lack of human resources to take classes, time, limited interactions, and motivation of students during the online classes. Despite this, students who attended the classes agreed that the curriculum introduced them to AMS and AMR concepts which helped them during their clinical postings. They agreed that it would be beneficial if a similar curriculum was implemented in other pharmacy colleges. Conclusion: Learnings from this study would be beneficial for other pharmacy colleges to implement a similar AMR curriculum for training pharmacy students to take key roles in AMS, especially in countries like India where postgraduate training for pharmacists remains limited.

Mentorship in global health remains an overlooked dimension of research partnerships. Commitment to effective mentorship models requires value-driven approaches. This includes having an understanding of (1) what mentorship means across different cultural and hierarchical boundaries in the health research environment, and (2) addressing entrenched power asymmetries across different aspects including funding, leadership, data and outputs, and capacity strengthening. Existing guidance towards equity and sustainability fails to inform how to navigate complex relationships which hinder effective mentorship models. We focus this perspective piece on human capacity strengthening in research partnerships through mentorship. Using a case study of a research partnership, we describe the lessons learnt and the challenges faced in the mentor mentee relationship while maintaining an effective and sustainable partnership. Human capacity strengthening must research projects and collaborations, and recognise local leadership and ownership. To be transformative and effective, practices need to be driven by common values across research teams.

Abstract Objective The irrational use of antibiotics is a leading contributor to antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic stewardship (AS) interventions predominantly focus on prescribers. This study investigated the influence and participation of inpatients in infection‐related care, including antibiotic decision‐making, within and across two tertiary hospitals in South Africa (Cape Town) and India (Kerala). Methods Through ethnographic enquiry of clinical practice in surgical pathways, including direct nonparticipant observation of clinical practices, healthcare worker (HCW), patient and carer interactions in surgical ward rounds and face‐to‐face interviews with participants (HCWs and patients), we sought to capture the implicit and explicit influence that patients and carers have in infection‐related care. Field notes and interview transcripts were thematically coded, aided by NVivo 12® Pro software. Results Whilst observational data revealed the nuanced roles that patients/carers play in antibiotic decision‐making, HCWs did not recognize these roles. Patients and carers, though invested in patient care, are not routinely involved, nor are they aware of the opportunities for engagement in infection‐related decision‐making. Patients associated clinical improvement with antibiotic use and did not consider hospitalization to be associated with infection acquisition or transmission, highlighting a lack of understanding of the threat of infection and antibiotic resistance. Patients' economic and cultural positionalities may influence their infection‐related behaviours. In the study site in India, cultural norms mean that carers play widespread but unrecognized roles in inpatient care, participating in infection prevention activities. Conclusion For patients to have a valuable role in AS and make informed decisions regarding their infection‐related care, a mutual understanding of their role in this process among HCWs and patients is crucial. The observed differences between the two study sites indicate the critical need for understanding and addressing the contextual drivers that impact effective patient‐centred healthcare delivery. Patient or Public Contribution Ethnographic observations and interviews conducted in this study involved patients as participants. Patients were recruited for interviews after obtaining signed informed consent forms. Patients' identities were completely anonymized when presenting the study findings.

Abstract Introduction Postoperative infections represent a significant burden of disease, demanding antibiotic prescriptions, and are contributing to antimicrobial resistance. The burden of infection as a surgical complication is greater in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We report the protocol of a pilot study for the co-design, implementation and evaluation of two infection prevention and control (IPC) and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions across the surgical pathway in a teaching hospital in India. Methods and analysis The two interventions developed following in-depth qualitative enquiry are (i) surveillance and feedback of postoperative infections to optimise the use of antibiotics in two surgical departments (gastrointestinal and cardiovascular and thoracic surgery) and (ii) raising awareness amongst patients, carers and members of public about IPC and AMS. We will conduct a prospective study, formatively evaluating the implementation process of delivering the two co-designed interventions using implementation science frameworks. The study will systematically assess the context of intervention delivery, so that implementation support for the interventions may be adapted to the needs of stakeholders throughout the study. Analysis of implementation logs and interviews with stakeholders upon completion of the implementation period, will offer insights into the perceived acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility and sustainability of the interventions and their implementation support. Implementation costs will be captured descriptively. Feasibility of clinical data collection to investigate effectiveness of interventions will also be assessed for a future larger study. Thematic framework analysis and descriptive statistics will be used to report the qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. Strengths and limitations of this study • The paired interventions have been co-designed from their inception with involvement of stakeholders at different stages in the surgical pathway. • Simultaneous evaluation of implementation and clinical outcomes will inform the development of a future larger study to enable/assess the scalability of interventions • The study offers a novel combination of implementation theory-informed, stakeholder-driven and clinically relevant evaluation, carried out in the context of a middle-income country hospital. • The project may not be applicable to every low-resource setting and surgical context due to differences in healthcare systems and cultures. However, the application of implementation science concepts may facilitate transferability and adaptation to other settings.

Objectives: We investigated the roles of patient carers in infection-related care on surgical wards in a South Indian hospital from the perspective of healthcare workers (HCWs), patients, and their carers. Methods: Ethnographic study included ward-round observations (138 hours) and face-to-face interviews (44 HCWs, 6 patients/carers). Data (field notes, interview transcripts) were coded in NVivo 12 and thematically analyzed. Data collection and analysis were iterative, recursive, and continued until thematic saturation. Results: Carers have important, unrecognized roles. At the study site, institutional expectations are formalized in policies, demanding a carer to always accompany in-patients. Such intense presence embeds families in the patient care environment, as demonstrated by their high engagement in direct personal (bathing patients) and clinical care (wound care). Carers actively participate in discussions on patient progress with HCWs, including therapeutic options. There is a misalignment between how carers are positioned by the organization (through policy mandates, institutional practices, and HCWs expectations), and the role that they play in practice, resulting in their role, though indispensable, remaining unrecognized. Conclusion: Current models of patient and carer involvement in infection prevention and control are poorly aligned with sociocultural and contextual aspects of care. Culture-sensitive infection prevention and control policies which embrace the roles that carers play are urgently needed.

This article summarizes the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, on an international project to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The research leadership and process, the access to data, and stakeholders were deeply disrupted by the national and international response to the pandemic, including the interruption of healthcare delivery, lockdowns, and quarantines. The key principles to deliver the research through the pandemic were mainly the high degree of interdisciplinary engagement with integrated teams, and equitable partnership across sites with capacity building and leadership training. The level of preexisting collaboration and partnership were also keys to sustaining connections and involvements throughout the pandemic. The pandemic offered opportunities for realigning research priorities. Flexibility in funding timelines and projects inputs are required to accommodate variance introduced by external factors. The current models for research collaboration and funding need to be critically evaluated and redesigned to retain the innovation that was shown to be successful through this pandemic.

Summary: At the 2015 World Health Assembly, UN member states adopted a resolution that committed to the development of national action plans (NAPs) for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The political determination to commit to NAPs and the availability of robust governance structures to assure sustainable translation of the identified NAP objectives from policy to practice remain major barriers to progress. Inter-country variability in economic and political resilience and resource constraints could be fundamental barriers to progressing AMR NAPs. Although there have been regional and global analyses of NAPs from a One Health and policy perspective, a global assessment of the NAP objectives targeting antimicrobial use in human populations is needed. In this Health Policy, we report a systematic evidence synthesis of existing NAPs that are aimed at tackling AMR in human populations. We find marked gaps and variability in maturity of NAP development and operationalisation across the domains of: (1) policy and strategic planning; (2) medicines management and prescribing systems; (3) technology for optimised antimicrobial prescribing; (4) context, culture, and behaviours; (5) operational delivery and monitoring; and (6) patient and public engagement and involvement. The gaps identified in these domains highlight opportunities to facilitate sustainable delivery and operationalisation of NAPs. The findings from this analysis can be used at country, regional, and global levels to identify AMR-related priorities that are relevant to infrastructure needs and contexts.

Tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions is a key objective within the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global Action on AMR. We outline the reasons why global collaborations for AMS are needed. We provide examples of global collaborations, and we offer considerations when starting on a global health journey focused on AMS.

ABSTRACT: Objective: To explore the existing evidence on patient understanding of and/or participation in infection-related care in surgical specialties. Method: A scoping review of the literature was conducted. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and grey literature sources were searched using predefined search criteria for policies, guidelines, and studies in the English language. Data synthesis was done through content and thematic analysis to identify key themes in the included studies. Results: The initial search identified 604 studies, of which 41 (36 from high-income and five from low- and middle-income countries) were included in the final review. Most of the included studies focused on measures to engage patients in infection prevention and control (IPC) activities, with few examples of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) engagement strategies. While patient engagement interventions in infection-related care varied depending on study goals, surgical wound management was the most common intervention. AMS engagement was primarily limited to needs assessment, without follow-up to address such needs. Conclusion: Existing evidence highlights a gap in patient participation in infection-related care in the surgical pathway. Standardization of patient engagement strategies is challenging, particularly in the context of surgery, where several factors influence how the patient can engage and retain information. Infection-related patient engagement and participation strategies in surgery need to be inclusive and contextually fit.

Abstract Background Candida auris infections are an emerging global threat with poor clinical outcome, high mortality rate, high transmission rate and outbreak potential. The objective of this work is to describe a multidisciplinary approach towards the investigation and containment of a Candida auris outbreak and the preventive measures adopted in a resource limited setting. Methods This outbreak investigational study was conducted at a 1300-bedded tertiary care academic hospital in South India. The study included 15 adult inpatients with laboratory confirmed Candida auris isolates. The outbreak cluster was identified in adult patients admitted from September 2017 to 2019. The system response consisted of a critical alert system for laboratory confirmed Candida auris infection and multidisciplinary ‘Candida auris care team’ for patient management. The team implemented stringent Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures including patient cohorting, standardized therapy and decolonization, staff training, prospective surveillance and introduction of Candida auris specific care bundle. Results Two outbreak clusters were identified; first cluster occurring between October and November 2017 and the second cluster in May 2018. The cohorts consisted of 7 and 8 Candida auris positive patients in the first and second waves of the outbreak respectively with a total survival rate of 93% (14/15). Deployment of containment measures led to gradual decline in the incidence of adult Candida auris positive cases and prevented further cluster formation. Conclusions The sustained implementation of guideline and evidence-based IPC measures and training of healthcare workers for improving awareness on systematically following standardized protocols of Candida auris related IPC practices successfully contained Candida auris outbreaks at our hospital. This demonstrates the feasibility of establishing a multidisciplinary model and bundling of practices for preventing Candida auris outbreaks in a Low- and Middle-income country.

Abstract. Management of candidemia in developing countries like India encounters laxity in appropriate clinical management and challenges in terms of healthcare capacity, despite its association with high morbidity and mortality. Our study aims to evaluate the impact of a comprehensive candidemia care bundle implementation on appropriateness of therapy and major clinical outcomes. The single-center, quasi-experimental study conducted at a south Indian tertiary care center included adult patients diagnosed with candidemia. Following a retrospective review of candidemia patients of the pre-implementation period (January 2013–December 2015), the hospital antifungal stewardship team instituted a clinical pharmacist driven comprehensive candidemia care bundle for candidemia patients during the post-implementation period (October 2017–2019) and its impact on appropriateness of antifungal prescriptions and inpatient mortality was evaluated. The study included 175 patients with candidemia, comprising of 103 patients in the pre-implementation period and 72 patients in the post-implementation period. Appropriateness of antifungal prescriptions rose to 65% during post-implementation period from 30% observed in pre-implementation phase (P = .0005). The inhospital mortality rate reduced from 40% in the pre-implementation phase to 36% in the post-implementation phase, recording a 10% reduction over 2 years post-implementation (P = .26). No significant difference was observed in terms length of stay (P = .17). Our study demonstrates the successful implementation of an antifungal stewardship led comprehensive care bundle in a low middle income countries setting. The results of our study will have profound implications in improving the appropriateness of management of candidemia and feasibility of scaling up to wider settings could be explored.

Polymyxins being last resort drugs to treat infections triggered by multidrug-resistant pathogens necessitates the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) initiatives to support its rational prescription across healthcare settings. Our study aims to describe the change in the epidemiology of polymyxins and patient outcomes following the implementation of ASP at our institution. The antimicrobial stewardship program initiated in February 2016 at our 1300 bed tertiary care center involved post-prescriptive audits tracking polymyxin consumption and evaluating prescription appropriateness in terms of the right indication, right frequency, right drug, right duration of therapy and administration of the right loading dose (LD) and maintenance dose (MD). Among the 2442 polymyxin prescriptions tracked over the entire study period ranging from February 2016 to January 2020, the number of prescriptions dropped from 772 prescriptions in the pre-implementation period to an average of 417 per year during the post-implementation period, recording a 45% reduction. The quarterly patient survival rates had a significant positive correlation with the quarterly prescription appropriateness rates (r = 0.4774, p = 0.02), right loading dose (r = 0.5228, p = 0.015) and right duration (r = 0.4361, p = 0.04). Our study on the epidemiology of polymyxin use demonstrated favorable effects on the appropriateness of prescriptions and mortality benefits after successful implementation of antimicrobial stewardship in a real-world setting.

In many parts of the world, including in India, pharmacist roles in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes remain unexplored. We describe the evolution and effect of the role of adding clinical pharmacists to a multidisciplinary AMS at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Kerala, India. Through effective leadership, multidisciplinary AMS (February 2016) and antitubercular therapy (ATT) stewardship programmes (June 2017) were established. Clinical pharmacists were introduced as core members of the programmes, responsible for the operational delivery of key stewardship interventions. Pharmacy-led audit and feedback monitored the appropriateness of antimicrobial prescriptions and compliance to AMS/ATT recommendations. Between February 2016 and January 2017, 56% (742/1326) of antimicrobial prescriptions were appropriate, and 54% (318/584) of recommendations showed compliance. By the third year of the AMS, appropriateness increased to 80% (1752/2190), and compliance to the AMS recommendations to 70% (227/325). The appropriateness of ATT prescriptions increased from a baseline of 61% (95/157) in the first year, to 72% (62/86, June 2018–February 2019). The compliance to ATT recommendations increased from 42% (25/60) to 58% (14/24). Such a model can be effective in implementing sustainable change in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as India, where the shortage of infectious disease physicians is a major impediment to the implementation and sustainability of AMS programmes.