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| Study Suggests 'Antimicrobial Resistance' Is a Confusing Term for the Public and Needs a New Name |
Dr. Krockow, a lecturer and lead of the Health and Wellbeing Research Group, conducted a study published in Communications Medicine that examined public health communication related to AMR. The study revealed that the term "antimicrobial resistance" or "AMR" is not as memorable or impactful as it should be. As a result, public awareness remains insufficient, even though an estimated 4.95 million deaths were attributed to AMR in 2019, and this threat is projected to render common infections untreatable.
The study assessed the memorability and risk association of commonly used AMR-related terms, including "AMR," "antibiotic resistance," "bacterial resistance," "drug-resistant infections," and "superbugs." The results were compared to other health risk terms, such as "cancer" and "heart disease."
Notably, "AMR" and "antimicrobial resistance" scored poorly in terms of risk association and memorability, making them unsuitable for effective public health communication. However, "antibiotic resistance" and, to a lesser extent, "drug-resistant infections" performed better in these aspects.
Dr. Krockow emphasizes the urgent need for public health campaigns that encourage behavior change to reduce antibiotic use globally. She suggests that renaming AMR with a more memorable term accessible to the general public is crucial, rather than using terminology geared solely towards the medical or scientific communities.
Dr. Krockow further explains that people perceive risks based on the terminology used. Therefore, the most effective terminology should raise alarm about the impending threat to the general population.
The study also highlighted the misperception of risks related to AMR. While participants correctly identified heart disease and cancer as significant health threats, they overestimated the risks associated with tropical diseases like Ebola and Malaria, while underestimating the threat of AMR, which is projected to become a leading cause of death by 2050, ranking sixth in global deaths incurred.
In conclusion, the study underscores the need for clear and impactful communication when addressing public health issues like AMR. Renaming terms to enhance memorability and risk perception could be a vital step in combating this global health crisis. Lessons from successful terminology shifts, such as renaming the "Wuhan novel coronavirus" to "COVID-19," provide insights into the importance of effective communication in public health.
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