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Review
. 2015;30(3):309-14.
doi: 10.1080/10410236.2014.943634. Epub 2014 Aug 14.

Antibiotic resistance: a primer and call to action

Rachel A Smith  1 , Nkuchia M M'ikanatha, Andrew F Read
Affiliations
Review

Antibiotic resistance: a primer and call to action

Rachel A Smith et al. Health Commun. 2015.

Abstract

During the past century, discoveries of microorganisms as causes of infections and antibiotics as effective therapeutic agents have contributed to significant gains in public health in many parts of the world. Health agencies worldwide are galvanizing attention toward antibiotic resistance, which is a major threat to public health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013; World Health Organization, 2014). Some life scientists believe that we are approaching the post-antibiotic age (Davies & Davies, 2010). The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance is fueled by complex factors with biological, behavioral, and societal aspects. This primer provides an overview of antibiotic resistance and its growing burden on public health, the biological and behavioral mechanisms that increase antibiotic resistance, and examples of where health communication scholars can contribute to efforts to make our current antibiotic drugs last as long as possible. In addition, we identify compelling challenges for current communication theories and practices.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Historical timeline depicting the introduction of antibiotics and detected resistance.
Figure 2
Figure 2
How exposure to antibiotics creates resistance (CDC, 2013, p. 14).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Possible diffusion curves for Bacterium X resistant to Drug Y in the population of Bacteria X
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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