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Toolbox  –  Raise Awareness

Set up a campaign

What are the practical steps to begin or strengthen awareness raising initiatives? Their success depend on the manner in which they are planned, implemented and managed. The road to success is outlined here through the use of a five step project management process.

Awareness raising campaigns have the potential to increase knowledge on antibiotics, their appropriate use, side-effects and limitations. Campaigns should aim not only to increase knowledge, but to change behavior.

Process to create a campaign

The following sub-pages go through a five step process for creating awareness campaigns. While every setting is different, this process can be applied anywhere. However, specific strategies or interventions will need to be assessed and adapted to the context.

Keep in mind that antibiotic resistance is a complex issue, that needs work within many sectors. In some cases, it may be possible to incorporate antibiotic resistance in ongoing work and initiatives.

When starting from scratch, it is best to begin with engaging stakeholders and continue on through the cycle outlined below. The Toolbox can also be used to pick and choose individual materials that best fit your needs.

Overview diagram of the five step project managment process described in the text
Figure 1. Five step project management cycle.
1.
Pulcini C, Gyssens IC. How to educate prescribers in antimicrobial stewardship practices. Virulence [Internet]. 2013 Feb 15;4(2):192–202. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23361336