How Can Behavioural Intent to Take Antibiotics "Exactly as Prescribed" be Increased? An Online Randomised Behavioural Experiment
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 尚未招募
- 入组人数
- 7,000
- 主要终点
- Overall intent to take antibiotics as prescribed
研究概览
简要总结
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health challenge. Due to overuse of antibiotics, bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics, which creates infections that can't be treated by modern medicine. To combat AMR, the public need to both know that AMR is an issue and know what actions they can take to address AMR.
When patients are prescribed antibiotics, the information provided (and how this is provided) is likely to be influential on whether they are taken correctly, or if behaviours that contribute to antimicrobial resistance (such as not finishing the course) predominate.
This study, a large online experiment involving 7,000 people across the UK, aims explore the influence of what information and how it is provided. The study looks at different ways of presenting information on antibiotic packets-from clear instructions to warnings and even scannable QR codes with extra details.
The main goals are to see if these changes can help participants understand how to take antibiotics exactly as prescribed. The investigators also want to see if it helps participants understand what antibiotic resistance is and their role in preventing it.
By understanding what works best, the investigators hope to find simple, effective ways to help everyone use antibiotics wisely, protecting these vital medicines for the future.
详细描述
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), or antibiotic resistance, is a serious global health problem. It happens when bacteria evolve and become strong enough to resist the very antibiotics designed to kill them. This makes common infections much harder, or even impossible, to treat. A major reason for this growing threat is the overuse and misuse of antibiotics.
To fight AMR, it's crucial that the public not only understand that antibiotic resistance is a problem, but also know what steps can be taken to help. A key action is to take antibiotics exactly as prescribed. However, the investigators know that many people aren't entirely sure what "exactly as prescribed" really means. This can involve things like remembering to take the full course, taking it at the right times, and simply taking the medication at all.
To better understand these challenges, the Fleming Initiative conducted focus groups with the UK public in spring 2025. These discussions helped identify the main reasons people might not take antibiotics as directed, such as not understanding what "exactly as prescribed" means, or not knowing about AMR and how individual actions might contribute to it.
Using these insights, the Fleming Initiative then held co-design workshops with public participants. Together, several new ways to make it easier for individuals to take antibiotics correctly were developed.
This study is a seven-armed online behavioral experiment conducted in collaboration between the Fleming Initiative at Imperial College London, and the Behavioural Insights Team. It aims to understand how different presentations of information on antibiotic packaging about desired target behaviors and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) influence the public's correct antibiotic use, attitudes towards AMR, and future behavioral intent.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Other
- 盲法
- Single (Participant)
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 18 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •Adults aged 18 and over
- •United Kingdom residents
- •Have passed the attention check at the start of the online survey.
排除标准
- •Individuals who are not signed up a market research panel and therefore will not have access to the online survey.
- •Those resident outside the UK.
- •Those who fail the attention check at the start of the online survey. Individuals aged under 18.
研究组 & 干预措施
Control
Control arm, with a picture of a typical antibiotic packet shown to participants
Behavioural Message - QR code
Antibiotic packet with a QR code as the mechanism of delivery of the intervention, the intervention only contains information about the desired behaviour
干预措施: Behavioural Message (Behavioral)
Behavioural Message - Warning
Antibiotic packet with a warning message on it as the mechanism of delivery of the intervention, the intervention only contains information about the desired behaviour
干预措施: Behavioural Message (Behavioral)
Behavioural message + positive framing - QR code
Antibiotic packet with a QR code as the mechanism of delivery of the intervention, the intervention contains information about the desired behaviour and antimicrobial resistance (framed in a positive manner)
干预措施: Behavioural message + positive framing (Behavioral)
Behavioural message + positive framing - Warning
Antibiotic packet with a warning message on it as the mechanism of delivery of the intervention, the intervention contains information about the desired behaviour and antimicrobial resistance (framed in a positive manner)
干预措施: Behavioural message + positive framing (Behavioral)
Behavioural message + negative framing - QR Code
Antibiotic packet with a QR code as the mechanism of delivery of the intervention, the intervention contains information about the desired behaviour and antimicrobial resistance (framed in a negative manner)
干预措施: Behavioural message + negative framing (Behavioral)
Behavioural message + negative framing - Warning
Antibiotic packet with a warning message on it as the mechanism of delivery of the intervention, the intervention contains information about the desired behaviour and antimicrobial resistance (framed in a negative manner)
干预措施: Behavioural message + negative framing (Behavioral)
结局指标
主要结局
Overall intent to take antibiotics as prescribed
时间窗: During the intervention
The proportion of Moderately, Very likely, or 'Yes' responses across the 4 measures of intent (taking one dose at a time, taking the full course, spacing the doses throughout the day, stopping when feeling better).
次要结局
- Proportion of correct responses on comprehension questions about antibiotic use(During the intervention)