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Optimizing antibiotic prescribing: collective approaches to managing a common-pool resource.
- Source :
-
Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases [Clin Microbiol Infect] 2019 Nov; Vol. 25 (11), pp. 1356-1363. Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 Mar 23. - Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest threats in 21st century medicine. AMR has been characterized as a social dilemma. A familiar version describes the situation in which a collective resource (in this case, antibiotic efficacy) is exhausted due to over-exploitation. The dilemma arises because individuals are motivated to maximize individual payoffs, although the collective outcome is worse if all act in this way.<br />Objectives: We aim to outline the implications for antimicrobial stewardship of characterizing antibiotic overuse as a social dilemma.<br />Sources: We conducted a narrative review of the literature on interventions to promote the conservation of resources in social dilemmas.<br />Content: The social dilemma of antibiotic over-use is complicated by the lack of visibility and imminence of AMR, a loose coupling between individual actions and the outcome of AMR, and the agency relationships inherent in the prescriber role. We identify seven strategies for shifting prescriber behaviour and promoting a focus on the collectively desirable outcome of conservation of antibiotic efficacy: (1) establish clearly defined boundaries and access rights; (2) raise the visibility and imminence of the problem; (3) enable collective choice arrangements; (4) conduct behaviour-based monitoring; (5) use social and reputational incentives and sanctions; (6) address misalignment of goals and incentives; and (7) provide conflict resolution mechanisms.<br />Implications: We conclude that this theoretic analysis of antibiotic stewardship could make the problem of optimizing antibiotic prescribing more tractable, providing a theory base for intervention development.<br /> (Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1469-0691
- Volume :
- 25
- Issue :
- 11
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 30910716
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2019.03.008