Digital educational interventions for antimicrobial stewardship: A systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Antimicrobial Resistance
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) are crucial for reducing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through responsible antibiotic use.
• Implementation of ASPs is inconsistent, particularly in low-resource settings.
• Digital health technologies (DHTs) offer scalable solutions for enhancing ASPs via targeted education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the effectiveness of digital educational interventions within ASPs.
• To analyze educational strategies, theoretical underpinnings, and impact across diverse populations and settings.
• To evaluate the role of DHTs in enhancing clinician knowledge and driving behavior change.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review following PRISMA and JBI guidelines, with a registered protocol (PROSPERO).
• Comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and CINAHL for relevant peer-reviewed studies.
• Included studies quantitatively evaluated digital educational ASPs; risk of bias was assessed.

Main Results:

• Twenty-three studies reported positive impacts on knowledge and behavior change.
• Engagement-driven approaches (interactive modules, feedback, simulations) were common and tailored to target groups.
• Few studies reported theoretical underpinnings, long-term follow-up, or rigorous designs; comparability was limited.

Conclusions:

• Digital educational ASPs show significant promise for improving knowledge and behavior change globally.
• DHTs are adaptable, scalable, and user-centered tools for combating AMR.
• Future interventions should integrate behavioral theory, include extended follow-up, and address low-resource contexts.