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Zichello J, Gupta P, Scott M, Desai B, Cohen R, Halderman L, Perkins S, Porzecanski A, Planet PJ, Wyner Y, Blaser M, Burk R, Diamond J, Kennett R, Borland J, DeSalle R. A natural history museum visitor survey of perception, attitude and knowledge (PAK) of microbes and antibiotics. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257085. [PMID: 34550986 PMCID: PMC8457478 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A kiosk-based survey at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City in 2016-2018 allowed us to assess public knowledge of antibiotics and public attitudes toward microbes in museum goers. Over 22,000 visitors from 172 countries and territories answered several carefully designed questions about microbes and antibiotics. These visitors also entered age, gender, and country demographic data that allowed for stratification along these demographic and geographic divisions. Because museum goers are likely to be better informed about these and other science-based topics, the results described here can set a potential upper bound for public knowledge on these topics. Surprisingly, the results of our analysis of museum goers' answers about microbes and antibiotics indicate a substantial lack of familiarity with both topics. For example, overall only about 50% of respondents can correctly identify penicillin as an antibiotic and less than 50% of museum visitors view microbes as beneficial. The results described here suggest that we are perhaps off target with our educational efforts in this area and that a major shift in approach toward more basic microbial topics is warranted in our educational efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Zichello
- Education Department, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Preeti Gupta
- Education Department, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Monique Scott
- Education Department, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
- Museum Studies Department, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, United States of America
| | - Bella Desai
- Education Department, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Ruth Cohen
- Education Department, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Lauri Halderman
- Exhibition Department, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Susan Perkins
- American Museum of Natural History, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Ana Porzecanski
- American Museum of Natural History, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Paul J. Planet
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Perelman School of Medicine & Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Yael Wyner
- City College of New York, School of Education, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Martin Blaser
- Department of Medicine and Microbiology, RBHS, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Robert Burk
- Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Judy Diamond
- University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE, United States of America
| | - Rod Kennett
- Questacon, The National Science and Technology Centre of Australia, King Edward Terrace, Parkes, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | | | - Rob DeSalle
- American Museum of Natural History, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, New York, NY, United States of America
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