Communicating antimicrobial resistance and stewardship in the national press: Lessons from sepsis awareness campaigns

Abstract

1. •

   Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and sepsis have been the subject of increasing media focus.

2. •

   Reporting of these issues in UK newspapers contains potentially conflicting messages about antibiotic use.

3. •

   Articles about sepsis frequently document its impact using personal narratives that rarely feature in articles about AMR.

4. •

   Few articles balance messages about early antibiotic treatment in sepsis with the need to reduce unnecessary prescribing.

5. • Integrating

   media discourses about AMR and sepsis may help improve public understandings about the importance of antimicrobial stewardship.

Keywords: Drug resistance, microbial; Mass media; Sepsis.