Patients' perspectives on antimicrobial resistance in chronic respiratory disease: an AMR-Lung/European Lung Foundation global patient survey.

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a significant global health threat, particularly for people with chronic respiratory diseases. However, their experiences, knowledge, priorities and concerns have not been comprehensively assessed. This study aimed to gauge patients' perspectives of AMR burden in chronic respiratory disease.

METHODS

An anonymous web-based patient survey was developed by the AMR-Lung European Respiratory Society Clinical Research Collaboration and members of the European Lung Foundation patient advisory groups, consisting of 39 questions, translated into 20 languages and held online over a 2-month period. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to explore disease-specific burden and factors potentially affecting AMR across different healthcare settings.

RESULTS

Among 2012 respondents from 57 countries on all six continents, 30.7% recalled having an AMR-associated infection, while 12.6% perceived their last antimicrobial course as ineffective. 30.5% received long-term prophylactic antimicrobials, with 44.6% of them recalling an AMR-associated infection. 17.6% reported antimicrobial use without medical prescription, while 9.5% perceived prescriptions as delayed. Respondents recognised mostly their healthcare professionals as an information source regarding AMR, but 27% were unaware of AMR prior to the survey. Patients from high-income countries were more likely to be knowledgeable about AMR, to avoid using antimicrobials without prescription and to perceive them as ineffective. Respondents overwhelmingly viewed AMR as a personal (76.4%) and global (79.6%) threat.

CONCLUSIONS

This global large-scale survey ascertains for the first time the high AMR burden from the perspective of people with chronic respiratory diseases, accentuating the need to promote AMR awareness, judicious antimicrobial use and accessibility to quality healthcare.