Antibiotics in Africa: Using storytelling and picture drawing for public engagement

The inappropriate use of antibiotics can lead to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – one of the most significant global health challenges. A key driver of antibiotic misuse is a lack of education around the subject. Therefore, finding ways to inform and engage the public on the correct use of antibiotics is critical in reducing rates of AMR. In particular, interventions delivered in schools have been effective in improving knowledge of the subject among schoolchildren, but the topic remains under-researched in low- and middle-income countries.

In this conversation with Bernard Appiah, Assistant Professor of Public Health at Syracuse University, we dig deeper into the novel approaches to public engagement explored in his recent Research Article on Wellcome Open Research. We discuss the use of storytelling and picture drawing as public engagement approaches to improve knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about antibiotics in Africa, specifically among schoolchildren in Ghana.