The effectiveness of raising Hong Kong parents' awareness of antimicrobial resistance through an education program with peer support on social media: a randomized, controlled pilot study

Effect of antibiotics on physical and physiological development of children under 5-A scoping review

The scoping review aimed to investigate and compile the effects of antibiotics on children under the age of five's physiological development. A PubMed, CINAHL, and Medline online database search was conducted, and related studies were included in the databases to carry out a more detailed search of the available literature utilizing keywords like "Antibiotics in children's"; "Children under 5"; and "Physiological Development, Physical Development," as well as Boolean operators to generate papers pertinent which were correlating with the objective of the study. It is imperative to demonstrate that a comprehensive, wide-ranging, and exhaustive search was carried out. MeSH words used for the search. MeSH is an is an effective tool for indexing and classifying literature on biology and health. MeSH terms are affixed to articles to enable precise and effective literature searches, guaranteeing that scholars, medical professionals, and other users can locate pertinent data within the extensive PubMed database. MeSH provides researchers with a standardized and structured method of indexing topics in the field of medicine and related disciplines, which aids in the identification and organization of pertinent articles during scoping reviews. PRISMA checklist was followed while doing the data collection and data extraction. The findings revealed that antibiotics hurt the physical and physiological development of children under 5. The study findings show that after exposure to antibiotics children get obese, it also affects the gut microbiota. Antibiotics also have an impact on the language and behaviors of children under 5. It also shows that children are more prone to get different medical disorders. These results highlight how crucial it is to make well-informed decisions about the use of antibiotics in pediatric care. To sum up, giving antibiotics to kids younger than five can have a big impact on how their bodies develop. This study also provides and implements guidelines that consider the possible long-term effects on the development of children under the age of five when prescribing antibiotics. Encourage healthcare professionals, parents, and other caregivers to learn about the proper use of antibiotics for young children as well as the possible risks of overusing or not using antibiotics at all. Promote funding and research for alternative approaches, such as targeted vaccines or probiotics, to treat and prevent infections in young children.

Digital Marketing: A Unique Multidisciplinary Approach towards the Elimination of Viral Hepatitis

New technologies are supported by the global implementation of the internet. These improvements have deeply affected various disciplines of sciences and consequently changed services such as daily business, particularly health sectors. Innovative digital marketing strategies utilize the channels of social media and retrieved user data to analyze and improve relevant services. These multidisciplinary innovations can assist specialists, physicians and researchers in diagnostic, prophylaxis and treatment issues in the health sector. Accordingly, compared to recent decades, health decision makers are more accurate and trustful in defining new strategies. Interestingly, using social media and mobile health apps in current pandemics of SARS-CoV-2 could be an important instance of the key role of these platforms at the local and global level of health policies. These digital technologies provide platforms to connect public health sectors and health politicians for communicating and spreading relevant information. Adding influencers and campaigns to this toolbox strengthens the implementation of public health programs. In 2016, the WHO adopted a global program to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030. Recent constructive measures that have been used in the battle against COVID-19 could be adopted for the elimination of viral hepatitis program. The presented evidence in our narrative review demonstrates that the application of digital marketing tools to create campaigns on social media, armed with professional influencers, can efficiently consolidate this program. The application of different strategies in using these popular tools will raise the public awareness about viral hepatitis. Subsequently, the availability of an effective vaccine for HBV and antiviral medication for HCV can motivate the audience to take steps towards prophylaxis and screening methods against these infectious illnesses. The encouragement of health policy makers to apply digital communication technologies and comprehensive roadmaps to implement this global program will certainly decrease the burden of viral hepatitis worldwide.

Understanding the Implementation of Antimicrobial Policies: Lessons from the Hong Kong Strategy and Action Plan

In 2017, the Hong Kong Strategy and Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2017–2022 (HKSAP) was announced with the aim of tackling the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Hong Kong. However, little is known about how the planned activities have been implemented. In this study, we examine the status of implementation of the HKSAP using the Smith Policy Implementation Process Model. Semi-structured interviews with 17 informants found that important achievements have been made, including launching educational and training activities targeting the public, farmers, and healthcare professionals; upgrading the AMR surveillance system; and strengthening AMR stewardship and infection control. Nevertheless, participants also identified barriers to greater implementation, such as tensions across sectors, ongoing inappropriate drug use and prescription habits, insufficient human and technical resources, as well as a weak accountability framework. Environmental factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic also affected the implementation of HKSAP. Our study indicated that expanding engagement with the public and professionals, creating a collaborative environment for policy implementation, and building a well-functioning monitoring and evaluation system should be areas to focus on in future AMR policies.