Raising awareness about anti-microbial resistance

Abstract

This chapter will describe a baseline investigation about antibiotic knowledge, attitudes, and use among Chinese university students, and the subsequent competition which elicited submissions of film and artworks to raise awareness about anti-microbial resistance. The baseline investigation was carried out using the online Wen Juan Xing survey tool at six universities representing all Chinese regions. A total of 11,915 respondents demonstrated widespread misuse of antibiotics, and an inverse correlation between knowledge and misuse. The findings led to a decision to launch a nationwide university competition for artworks, through social media networks and a dedicated website. Expressions of interest were received from 356 teams at 71 universities across 29 provinces. This produced 142 submissions. A long list of 66 was reduced to 32 through a dual voting system: a panel of academics and student representatives from Zhejiang University, and a public vote via a WeChat public account. Around 50,000 people voted. The shortlisted artworks were showcased and judged at ‘The AMR Summit’ at Zhejiang University in October 2016. Winners received monetary prizes and certificates, with dissemination of their work through social and mainstream media and the WHO website. The artworks not only demonstrate the talent and creativity of the students, but also the potential power of art forms and social media to deliver public health messages.