Impact of the ´Alforja Educativa’ on Ecuadorian schoolchildren’s knowledge of bacteria, antibiotics, and antibiotic resistance, a pretest-posttest study

The Alforja Educativa is an educational program in Ecuador designed to teach schoolchildren about antibiotic use and resistance. The program aims to promote health, well-being, and ecological awareness, highlighting the importance of maintaining balance in the microbial world. A pretest-posttest intervention study was conducted between April and June 2017, with 1,257 schoolchildren participating. The results showed an increase in knowledge scores from pretest to posttest, with a higher proportion of students correctly identifying bacteria as both good and bad, understanding antibiotic resistance, preventing it, and understanding self-medication. The Alforja Educativa was found to be effective in improving students’ understanding of bacteria, antibiotics, and antibiotic resistance, potentially promoting sustainable antibiotic use.