Knowledge, awareness and practices of healthcare workers regarding antimicrobial use, resistance and stewardship in Zambia: a multi-facility cross-sectional study
JAC-antimicrobial resistance, May 6, 2024
Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a threat to public health globally. Despite its ... more Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a threat to public health globally. Despite its consequences, there is little information about the knowledge, awareness, and practices towards AMR among healthcare workers (HCWs). Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge, awareness and practices regarding antimicrobial use (AMU), AMR and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) among HCWs who are involved in the implementation of AMS activities across eight hospitals in Zambia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 64 HCWs from October to December 2023 using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Results: Of the 64 HCWs, 59.4% were females, 60.9% were aged between 25 and 34 years, 37.5% were nurses, 18.7% were pharmacists, 17.2% were medical doctors and only one was a microbiologist. Overall, 75% of the HCWs had good knowledge, 84% were highly aware and 84% had good practices regarding AMU, AMR and AMS. Most of the HCWs (90.6%) responded that they had a multidisciplinary AMS team at their hospitals and were implementing the use of the WHO AWaRe classification of antibiotics. Conclusion: This study found good knowledge levels, high awareness and good practices regarding AMU, AMR and AMS among HCWs who were involved in the implementation of AMS activities in hospitals in Zambia. Additionally, most hospitals have been conducting AMS training and implementing the use of the WHO AWaRe classification of antibiotics. However, there is still a need to address some identified gaps in AMU and AMR through the strengthening of AMS activities in hospitals.
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Papers by Victor Daka
that has negatively impacted the mental health of students.
Methods: We conducted an online descriptive cross-sectional study among 273 undergraduate
pharmacy students at the University of Zambia. A partial proportional odds regression model
was used to determine the predictors of anxiety. All statistical tests were set at 95% confidence
level (p<0.05).
Results: A response rate of 70% was obtained with the majority of the students being female
51.6%. Of the 273 respondents, 23.8% did not experience anxiety, 34.4% experienced mild
anxiety, 24.9% experienced moderate anxiety while 16.9% experienced severe anxiety about
COVID-19. It was also found that 61.2% of students reported that their attention to mental health
increased during the COVID-19 pandemic whereas 44.3% reported an increased resting time
with a significant reduction in relaxation 51.3% and physical activity 45.4% time. Factors that
affected mental health included; reduced family care (OR: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.09-4.74 ), not
changing attention to mental health (OR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.18-0.62), being in the final year of
study (OR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.13-0.84), reduced time of resting (OR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.26-3.50) and
feeling helpless (OR: 0.42; 95% CI:0.23-0.75).
Conclusion: COVID-19 negatively impacted the mental health and physical activity of
pharmacy students at the University of Zambia. This can have negative health and academic
outcomes for students going forward. Higher learning institutions and key stakeholders should
implement measures to aid students to recover from the impact of COVID-19 on their mental
health and physical activity.
Keywords: Coronavirus disease, COVID-19, mental health, physical activity, pharmacy
students, anxiety