March 01, 2011
The Question
How effective is education in encouraging antibiotic stewardship in physicians, especially in the United States?
What we found
A review of the literature found that educating physicians about the importance of conserving antibiotics can change the behavior of some physicians. No single method of education proved to be the most effective, and in fact, combining different methods was often the most effective strategy in communicating the importance of conserving antibiotics.
Why it matters
Understanding the current impact that education has on antibiotic stewardship is a key part of strengthening efforts to conserve antibiotics.