Promoting prosociality toward future generations in antibiotic intake

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Economics
• Public Health
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance is a growing global threat, exacerbated by individual overuse.
• Understanding the psychological drivers of antibiotic consumption is crucial for mitigation strategies.
• Intergenerational equity is a key consideration in managing shared environmental and health resources.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how intergenerational conflict influences antibiotic overuse.
• To explore interventions for promoting appropriate antibiotic use.
• To apply a behavioral game approach to antibiotic preference research.

Main Methods:

• An online study utilizing a behavioral game framework.
• Comparison of antibiotic overuse under within-generation versus between-generation conflict scenarios.
• Intervention design focused on eliciting empathy for future generations.

Main Results:

• Antibiotic overuse significantly increased in scenarios involving between-generation conflict compared to within-generation conflict.
• Actively eliciting empathy towards future generations led to a reduction in antibiotic overuse.
• The framing of the social dilemma impacts individual antibiotic-seeking behaviors.

Conclusions:

• Intergenerational dynamics play a critical role in antibiotic overuse.
• Empathy-based interventions show promise for promoting responsible antibiotic stewardship.
• Behavioral interventions can be tailored to address the social dilemmas inherent in antibiotic use.