Behavioural and cultural insights: a game-changer in tackling antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global menace. If no effective action is taken, decades of medical progress risk being undone. AMR happens when microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines. This means infections become harder to treat and diseases spread. In the face of this serious global health threat, every potential avenue for promoting more effective approaches must be explored.  

Using behavioural and cultural insights (BCI) offers an innovative, evidence-based and people-centred approach to reshape how we address AMR. Health ministers and delegates from WHO/Europe’s 53 Member States have recently endorsed a new roadmap on AMR for the WHO European Region, which recognizes BCI as a “high-impact intervention” to be integrated into bigger efforts to tackle AMR.