Antibiotics Resistance: Recommendations for Primary Care Providers to Implement Change

Antibiotics have significantly improved the health and lives of people across the globe through prevention and treatment of bacterial infections. Today, antibiotic resistance has become a global epidemic. Bacterial infections which were once treated with certain antibiotics have developed a resistance, and those antibiotics are no longer effective. Medical providers are running low on treatment options for certain strains of bacteria due to the lack of research and development being done to discover new antibiotics. Other strains of bacteria will begin, or continue, to develop resistance as antibiotics are misused. This may eventually lead to antibiotics no longer being a treatment option for bacterial infections. Contributing factors to antimicrobial resistance include the following: use of antibiotics in agriculture, self-medicating with antibiotics, lack of hygiene and vaccines, improper prescribing practices of antibiotics, and the incorrect use of antibiotics. Many efforts have been set in place by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to educate the general public regarding the differences between viral illnesses and bacterial infections. In reviewing various strategies for combating the problem, education and increasing awareness have been identified as an ideal focus for practitioners to begin improving outcomes. Providers have a pertinent responsibility to develop more accurate prescribing practices and educate their patients on the seriousness of antibiotic resistance.