Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance: A Social Science Approach

Learn the key aspects of successful antimicrobial stewardship

Antimicrobial resistance is a complex problem in today’s medicine that requires a unique approach. On this three-week course, you’ll build your knowledge of how a social science perspective can fight the problem of antimicrobial resistance.

You will gain insights into antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in different contexts and how to apply a social science research approach. You will also be introduced to different fields of study and social science theory.

Gain a societal view on antimicrobial and antibiotic prescribing

You’ll better understand the social factors behind antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and apply social science methods to manage AMR.

Learn how to apply social science research methods

Next, you’ll learn the techniques to help you apply social science research methods in AMR.

You’ll learn about priorities in AMR research, qualitative methodology, and the realist review to help you inform recommendations for developing and/or improving antimicrobial stewardship.

Delve into specific methods using case studies

You’ll explore examples of using different social science research methods across primary and secondary care, in different countries facing different challenges.

This practical knowledge will help you gain a solid introduction to ethnography, using sociograms to map communication and gain novel insights into the current delivery of AMS activities.

By the end of the course, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to identify potential research questions or quality improvement intervention ideas for your specific setting that can be investigated in future studies using social science methods.

This course is designed for health professionals, junior researchers, and doctoral students new to social science with an interest in antimicrobial stewardship.

This course is designed for health professionals, junior researchers, and doctoral students new to social science with an interest in antimicrobial stewardship.

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of what social science is
• Explore examples of using different social science research methods for tackling antimicrobial resistance in primary and secondary care, and in high-income and lower-middle income countries
• Explore the application of a realist review to inform recommendations for developing and/or improving antimicrobial stewardship
• Identify examples of using ethnography to gain novel insights into current delivery of antimicrobial stewardship activities
• Describe how implementation science can help to improve implementation of antimicrobial stewardship activities
• Identify potential research questions or improvement project ideas for your practice setting that can be investigated in future studies using social science methods