Comic-Based Educational Intervention Enhances Antimicrobial Resistance Knowledge and Perceptions Among Adolescents in...

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Health Education

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global health threat.
• Adolescent awareness of AMR, particularly in low-resource settings, remains critically low.
• Innovative educational strategies are essential to engage youth and promote responsible antimicrobial use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a comic-based intervention on AMR knowledge and perceptions among junior high school students in Ghana.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of visual storytelling in health education for AMR awareness.

Main Methods:

• A before-and-after educational intervention study was conducted at KNUST Basic Schools in Kumasi, Ghana.
• Junior high students received a comic storyline intervention on appropriate antibiotic use and AMR risks.
• Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires measured changes in AMR knowledge and attitudes.

Main Results:

• Significant increase in AMR knowledge post-intervention (p < 0.001), with correct response rates rising from 33% to 70%.
• Positive shift in student perceptions, with 85.1% acknowledging their role in tackling AMR, up from 67.4% (p < 0.001).
• The intervention demonstrated a substantial impact on both knowledge and attitudes.

Conclusions:

• Comic-based educational interventions effectively enhance AMR knowledge and positive perceptions in adolescents.
• Visual storytelling through comics is a viable tool for improving AMR awareness in school settings.
• Integrating such engaging methods supports global AMR containment efforts by promoting responsible antimicrobial behavior.