Addressing inequity in antibiotic use: strengthening antimicrobial stewardship throughout Aotearoa to improve the health of New Zealanders.

At present there is no standard to both guide antibiotic prescribing and measure the appropriateness of treatment. While we know there are marked inequities in the rates of infections for Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa, very little is known about the inequities in infection treatment. Our solution: We plan to develop a national antibiotic guideline in Aotearoa that sets out the optimal treatment of infections.  

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Principal Investigator
Dr Stephen Ritchie, Dr Karen Wright, Dr Lily Fraser
University of Auckland and Turuki Healthcare
Public Contact
Kim Thomas
teniwhacomms@otago.ac.nz
Project Timeframe/Status
-
In Process

Whakarāpopoto Rangahau Summary of Research

Antibiotics are underused in some patients in whom they would provide benefit and overused in others who could be harmed by unnecessary treatment. A core goal of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is to slow development of antibiotic resistance, which can also be thought of as antibiotic conservation – using antibiotics as well as we can to ensure these important medicines remain available and effective for our tamariki and mokopuna.

The Problem

At present there is no standard to both guide antibiotic prescribing and measure the appropriateness of treatment.  While we know there are marked inequities in the rates of infections for Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa, very little is known about the inequities in infection treatment. 

Our Solution

We plan to develop a national antibiotic guideline in Aotearoa that sets out the optimal treatment of infections. 

We will also develop innovative systems that automatically monitor antibiotic prescribing together with the reasons for prescribing antibiotics, and information about the populations for whom antibiotics were prescribed.

Using our new guideline and monitoring system, we will then determine the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing for important infectious diseases in Aotearoa (e.g. sore throats, skin infections, meningitis), with particular attention to prescribing for Māori, Pacific peoples and other population groups who bear a disproportionate burden of infectious disease in Aotearoa. 

Finally, we will work collaboratively with Māori health providers, and with hospital and community-based clinicians to determine how best to provide prescriber feedback about antibiotic prescribing and will assess the impact of feedback on prescribing practice. Our partnership with Te Niwha will provide the foundation for improving antibiotic use in Aotearoa. Improving antibiotic use via antimicrobial stewardship efforts in Aotearoa is critical to reducing the threat of antibiotic resistance, reducing harm, enhancing equitable care, and improving patient outcomes.

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Te Hiranga a Rangahau Research Impact

Many public hospitals are not adequately resourced to provide AMS services, and AMS services are urgently needed in primary care. The outputs of our project will be available to all public hospitals and all primary care providers in Aotearoa and will make huge advances towards ensuring that all clinicians have access to appropriate AMS advice. 

The innovative outputs of the project will provide Aotearoa with the best AMS systems in the world. The impact of the project will be measured in the first instance by: (i) the frequency with which the new guidelines are viewed by prescribers in primary and secondary care, (ii) the magnitude of annual reductions in inappropriate antibiotic prescribing, and (iii) the magnitude of increases in guideline adherent antibiotic prescribing, all of which can be measured within the timescale of the project.

In the longer term, the impact of the project will be measured by whether the quality of antibiotic prescribing demonstrates sustained improvement, the impact of infectious diseases on the people of Aotearoa declines, and the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria is reduced. We are confident that the opportunity provided by this work with Te Niwha will not only improve the health of New Zealanders and also slow the development of antimicrobial resistance. 

An important impact of the project will be the creation of new collaborative relationships between people with varied roles and working in many different organisations, all of whom are determined to improve the care provided for people with infections in Aotearoa. We hope that these new relationships will be the base for ongoing research collaborations to further this work in the years ahead.

Te Niwha

Kairangahau Research Personnel

Dr Karen Wright, Kāi Tahu 
Public Health Physician, Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, University of Auckland 

Dr Lily Fraser, Kāi Tahu  
GP, Turuki Healthcare 

Dr Stephen Ritchie
 
Academic Infectious disease physician, University of Auckland 

Dr Emma Best 
Academic Paediatric Infectious disease physician, University of Auckland 
Dr Maxim Bloomfield 
Microbiologist and Infectious disease physician, Te Whatu Ora, Capital Coast and Hutt Valley 

Professor Stephen Chambers 
Academic Infectious disease physician, University of Otago 

Mr Eamon Duffy 
Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist, Te Whatu Ora, Te Toka Tumai 

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Dr Sharon Gardiner 
Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist, Te Whatu Ora Waitaha  

Dr Tom Hills 
Academic Infectious disease physician, Te Whatu Ora, Counties Manukau 

Dr Gigi Lim 
Academic Registered Nurse  

Dr Sarah Metcalf 
Infectious disease physician, Te Whatu Ora Waitaha 
 
Ms Leanne Te Karu, Ngāti Rangi, Te Ati Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Muaūpoko  
Pharmacist prescriber  

Associate Professor Alesha Smith  
Academic Pharmacist, University of Otago 

Associate Professor Mark Thomas
 
Academic Infectious disease physician 

 

Research Location 

Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Dunedin 

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