[뉴스줌=정진태기자] The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced that it is running a campaign to raise public awareness of antibiotic resistance in celebration of ‘World Antibiotic Resistance Awareness Week’ designated by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Antibiotic resistance refers to a phenomenon in which bacteria survive and proliferate without being affected by antibiotics (treatment agents), making treatment difficult. When antibiotic resistance develops, the types of treatments that can be selected are reduced, and it can also pose a serious threat to the treatment progress of patients with weakened immune systems or severe infections.
The World Health Organization (WHO) selected antibiotic resistance as one of the top 10 public health threats facing humanity in 2019, and with concerns that the problem of antibiotic resistance will expand as global antibiotic use increases after COVID-19, the international community has recently raised concerns about antibiotic resistance in each country. We are calling for strengthening resistance prevention and control.
In particular, the UN General Assembly held in September of this year adopted a political declaration on antibiotic resistance, emphasizing the continued need for education to raise awareness among the general public and the importance of school education on antibiotic resistance for youth, who are the core of the future generation.
The main cause of antibiotic resistance is misuse of antibiotics. Korea’s antibiotic usage is approximately 1.2 times higher than the average for countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (as of 2021), and approximately 30% of antibiotics prescribed in medical institutions are known to be inappropriate (2019, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency).
In addition, the World Health Organization reported in April this year that many antibiotics were used globally due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, expressing concern that the risk of antibiotic resistance will increase in the future.
In order to overcome antibiotic resistance, it is necessary for both the medical community and the general public to recognize the seriousness of the antibiotic resistance problem and use antibiotics correctly. It is also important for doctors to appropriately prescribe antibiotics according to the guidelines, for the general public to take prescribed medications correctly, and not to ask doctors to prescribe unnecessary antibiotics.
Meanwhile, according to the ‘Antibiotic Resistance Awareness Survey’ conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency in 2023, doctors’ awareness of the seriousness of the antibiotic resistance problem was slightly higher than that of the general public, but awareness of the correct use (prescription) of antibiotics improved for both doctors and the general public. It turned out to be necessary.
In the case of the general public, about half (52.9%) of respondents recognized antibiotic resistance as a serious problem, and less than 30% correctly understood the meaning and use of antibiotics.
In the case of doctors, about 7 out of 10 respondents (69.6%) responded that antibiotic resistance is a serious problem, and antibiotic resistance is mainly due to doctors’ excessive prescription of antibiotics (55.9%) and patients’ arbitrary stopping of antibiotics (22.1%). It was recognized as increasing.
When asked to what extent they usually prescribe antibiotics according to their own guidelines for antibiotic use, about half (53.6%) responded that they ‘prescribe faithfully according to the guidelines’, and when asked how much they prescribe antibiotics in situations where antibiotics are unnecessary, about half (53.6%) responded that they prescribe antibiotics in accordance with the guidelines. 59.1% of respondents responded ‘do not prescribe’.
In this awareness week, in order to emphasize the importance of appropriate use of antibiotics, we will continue to use “antibiotics, pills, drugs, drugs (use antibiotics properly only when necessary)” as the campaign slogan in 2023, and promote public understanding through various media. Develop and distribute antibiotic resistance content that can help.
First, we produced a fact sheet that provides general information at a glance, such as the principles of occurrence and spread of antibiotic resistance and preventive management rules, as well as an in-depth explanation video of the fact sheet (jointly by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Korean Society of Antimicrobial Therapy) and posted on the agency’s website. , raise awareness of antibiotic resistance among youth and parents through school activities and home communications, and develop and provide age-specific card news that can be used in elementary, middle, and high schools.
In addition, the ‘Antibiotic Resistance Menu’ on the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency website will be reorganized so that the public can easily and conveniently find various antibiotic resistance information. Any Korean citizen can easily check antibiotic resistance information on the main screen of the website ‘Policy Information’, and by integrating antibiotic resistance content, you can search and utilize it by type in one place.
In addition, from November 18 to November 19, government ministries and medical experts in the field of antibiotic resistance attended to comprehensively discuss major achievements and future development directions in the field of policy and research related to the ‘2nd National Antibiotic Resistance Management Plan’. The ‘One-Health Antibiotic Resistance Symposium’ event will be held.
Director Ji Young-mi of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said, “Starting from November 1 of this year, we are pursuing a pilot project to manage the appropriate use of antibiotics by medical institutions,” and added, “In order to solve the problem of antibiotic resistance, the efforts of not only medical institutions but all of us are important, so the public “Everyone, please actively participate in the antibiotic resistance awareness campaign,” he said, urging people to cultivate correct awareness of antibiotic resistance and follow prevention rules.
What are the key global initiatives aimed at combating antibiotic resistance and how effective have they been in raising awareness?
1. Can you tell us about the significance of World Antibiotic Resistance Awareness Week and how important it is to raise awareness about antibiotic resistance globally?
2. What are some of the main causes of antibiotic resistance, and how does this pose a threat to public health?
3. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the issue of antibiotic resistance?
4. What role do do doctors play in preventing antibiotic resistance, and what steps are they taking to ensure appropriate prescribing practices?
5. How can the general public contribute to preventing antibiotic resistance and promoting proper antibiotic use?
6. What is the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency doing to raise awareness about antibiotic resistance among both medical professionals and the general public?
7. Can you share any success stories or initiatives that have emerged from your antibiotic resistance prevention campaigns in the past?
8. What challenges do you face in tackling antibiotic resistance both locally and globally, and how do you plan to address these challenges moving forward?
9. What can governments, health organizations, and individuals do to work together to combat antibiotic resistance?
10. what message would you like to convey to the public in terms of the importance of understanding and preventing antibiotic resistance?
