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- Sharma, Garima, et al.
(författare)
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Comparing the Effectiveness of Different Approaches to Raise Awareness About Antimicrobial Resistance in Farmers and Veterinarians of India
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers In Public Health. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-2565. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health threat. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics in the animal health sector contributes to increasing rates of AMR and studies involving dairy farmers in India have found knowledge levels regarding antibiotics and AMR to be very low. The purpose of this study was to assess different methods to raise awareness and knowledge about AMR and antibiotic use among dairy farmers, paravets (veterinary assistants), and veterinarians. Materials and MethodsThe study was conducted in September-December of 2018 in some parts of Haryana, Assam, Karnataka, and West Bengal. It had two parts: an intervention meeting (September-October 2018) which consisted of focus group discussions (FGD) with farmers, key informant interviews (KII) with veterinary professionals along with distribution of information packages, and then a follow-up survey (November-December 2018). The villages were randomly allocated to either one of the four intervention approaches (1-FGD/KII and information package on AMR; 2-FGD/KI and information on animal health; 3- FGD/KII and information package on animal health plus information on AMR; or 4- only the FGD/KII). A follow-up survey was done to assess the effect of interventions. ResultsIn total, 274 dairy farmers and 51 veterinary professionals (21 veterinarians and 30 paravets) participated in the follow-up survey. Many of the farmers and veterinary professionals who participated in the follow-up survey had been part of the intervention meetings. The average knowledge score of farmers was 7.8. It was found that the knowledge score was higher amongst farmers who had participated in the intervention meetings (p < 0.05), had received intervention approach 2 (p = 0.03) or approach 3 (p = 0.01), and amongst female farmers (p = 0.03) compared to male. The veterinary professionals had good knowledge but lacked interest in training the farmers about antimicrobial resistance. ConclusionOur research demonstrated that a higher percentage of farmers and veterinary professionals who attended the intervention meeting had improved knowledge. Dairy farmers should be regularly educated on antibiotic usage and how to avoid misusing them. Also, veterinary experts should be provided with tools and strategies to educate farmers on the use of antimicrobials.
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| 2. |
- Sharma, Garima, et al.
(författare)
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Antibiotic use, knowledge, and practices of milk vendors in India's informal dairy value chain
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2571-581X. ; 6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Milk vendors play an important role in India's dairy value chain; however, their food safety practices are poorly understood. From the standpoint of milk safety, vendor behavior is significant because it has the potential to affect both consumer and producer behavior. This study investigates vendors' hygienic knowledge and practices toward milk safety, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR)Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the states of Assam and Haryana (India). In selected villages, all the milk vendors identified at the time of the visit were interviewed. A questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge and practices on antibiotics, milk safety, and hygiene. The milk samples were tested for the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria using antibiotic susceptibility testing.Results: A total of 2444 milk vendors were interviewed during the survey. Out of these 156 (59.8%) of the vendors traded in raw milk while 40.2% traded in pasteurizes milk. Vendors were categorized depending on whom they supplied milk. Five categories were identified: (a) those who sold at grocery shops; (b) those who sold on the roadside; (c) those who sold from door to door; (d) those who sold to sweet makers/tea stalls; (e) those who sold from own home/other entity. The level of training among vendors on milk hygiene was non-existent and the knowledge related to antibiotics was low. Most of them (86.07%) agreed that boiled milk is always safer than raw milk but almost half (48.77%) of them admitted that sometimes they drink milk without boiling it. Most vendors believed that they could identify whether milk is safe or not for consumption just by its appearance and smell. Out of 124 milk samples collected from surveyed milk vendors and tested for the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, 80 (64.52%) tested positive.Conclusion: This study highlights the low levels of knowledge regarding food safety among milk vendors. It shows the predominance of informal milk businesses in the surveyed states and the prevalence of AMR bacteria in milk traded by them. Training may be a beneficial strategy for addressing the issue.
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