TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessment of UK healthcare workers' knowledge, attitudes and practice towards antibiotics, antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance
T2 - comparing findings from 2019 and 2024 national surveys
AU - The UK Healthcare Professionals Survey Project Advisory Group
AU - Tang, Ellie L.
AU - Eastwood, Libby
AU - Bujakowski, Jane
AU - Dickinson, Michael
AU - Lecky, Donna M.
AU - Ashiru-Oredope, Diane
AU - Davies, Meryl
AU - Flanagan, Anna
AU - Jones, Peter Lloyd
AU - Longmate, Connie
AU - Mccullough, Amanda
AU - Nolte, Sabine
AU - O'brien, Emma
AU - Reid, Nicholas
AU - Rolfe, Simon
AU - Seaton, Andrew
AU - Stewart, Jamie
AU - Tilford, Sarah
AU - Brown, Colin
AU - Decordova, Syreeta
AU - Finistrella, Viviana
AU - Gamble, Hannah
AU - Henderson, Christine
AU - Mcbrien, Bronagh
AU - Roddy, Laura
AU - Worley, Amelia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Crown copyright.
PY - 2025/12/1
Y1 - 2025/12/1
N2 - Background A national survey assessing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of healthcare professionals (HCPs) regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic prescribing was conducted in 2024 to determine changes from a 2019 survey and support commitments included in the UK 2024-29 National Action Plan for AMR. Methods A previously EU-wide validated online survey tool was used to survey HCPs across 30 EU/EEA countries, including the UK, between 28 January and 4 March 2019, and repeated between 1 and 18 March 2024. Patient-facing HCPs from the four UK nations participated. Results A total of 2996 HCPs from the four UK nations completed the 2024 survey. Most respondents were nursing professionals (31%, 943/2996), medical doctors (28%, 831/2996) or pharmacists (25%, 762/2996). Almost all HCPs correctly answered that antibiotics are ineffective against viruses and colds/flu (98%). Nearly a quarter of HCPs (24%, 723/2996) were unaware that resistant bacteria can spread from person to person. Over half of HCPs (62%, 1876/2996) answered all seven knowledge questions correctly: an increase of 2.6% from 2019 possibly driven by a 14.2% increase in allied healthcare professionals' knowledge. Knowledge in 2024 varied significantly between professions (P<0.001) with highest levels of knowledge seen in medical doctors (75.3%). Just over a quarter of HCPs (26%, 479/2996) did not feel they have a key role in helping to control AMR. Conclusion Knowledge levels varied significantly between HCPs, demonstrating the need for more targeted training with a focus on highlighting the important role HCPs play in tackling AMR, as well as awareness raising regarding available resources.
AB - Background A national survey assessing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of healthcare professionals (HCPs) regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic prescribing was conducted in 2024 to determine changes from a 2019 survey and support commitments included in the UK 2024-29 National Action Plan for AMR. Methods A previously EU-wide validated online survey tool was used to survey HCPs across 30 EU/EEA countries, including the UK, between 28 January and 4 March 2019, and repeated between 1 and 18 March 2024. Patient-facing HCPs from the four UK nations participated. Results A total of 2996 HCPs from the four UK nations completed the 2024 survey. Most respondents were nursing professionals (31%, 943/2996), medical doctors (28%, 831/2996) or pharmacists (25%, 762/2996). Almost all HCPs correctly answered that antibiotics are ineffective against viruses and colds/flu (98%). Nearly a quarter of HCPs (24%, 723/2996) were unaware that resistant bacteria can spread from person to person. Over half of HCPs (62%, 1876/2996) answered all seven knowledge questions correctly: an increase of 2.6% from 2019 possibly driven by a 14.2% increase in allied healthcare professionals' knowledge. Knowledge in 2024 varied significantly between professions (P<0.001) with highest levels of knowledge seen in medical doctors (75.3%). Just over a quarter of HCPs (26%, 479/2996) did not feel they have a key role in helping to control AMR. Conclusion Knowledge levels varied significantly between HCPs, demonstrating the need for more targeted training with a focus on highlighting the important role HCPs play in tackling AMR, as well as awareness raising regarding available resources.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105022494401
U2 - 10.1093/jacamr/dlaf205
DO - 10.1093/jacamr/dlaf205
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105022494401
SN - 2632-1823
VL - 7
JO - JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance
JF - JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance
IS - 6
M1 - dlaf205
ER -
