Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding antimicrobial resistance among primary health care prescribers in Imo State, Nigeria: implications for digital health readiness.

introductionAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most urgent global health threats, responsible for an estimated 4.95 million deaths annually, including 1.27 million directly linked to drug-resistant infections. Nigeria is particularly affected, ranking 19th globally in AMR-related mortality, with an estimated 64 500 attributable and 263 400 associated deaths in 2019. These estimates are likely conservative due to limited surveillance. Economically, AMR could cost Nigeria 5%-7% of its GDP by 2050.Despite this burden, antibiotic misuse remains widespread, with 42% of adults and over 46% of children under 5 receiving antibiotics without prescriptions. At the primary healthcare (PHC) level, where most antibiotics are prescribed, challenges such as limited diagnostics, inconsistent prescription and poor access to digital tools hinder effective antimicrobial stewardship (AMS).

objectivesThe primary objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among PHC prescribers in Imo State, Nigeria. A secondary objective is to explore preliminary indicators of their digital readiness to inform future technological interventions for AMS.

designA cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire.

settingPHC facilities across all 27 local government areas of Imo State, Nigeria.

participantsA purposive sample of 547 facility-based public PHC prescribers included 84% of all facility Officers-in-Charge of health facilities in the state and 16% of other PHC workers who were involved in prescription. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measures were composite scores for knowledge (adequate/inadequate), attitude (positive/negative) and prescribing practice (good/poor), derived from a validated questionnaire. Secondary measures included sources of AMR information and indicators of digital readiness.

resultsWhile 77.1% demonstrated adequate knowledge, only 32.7% exhibited positive attitudes and 88.5% reported poor prescribing practices. Attitude was the strongest predictor of good practice (OR=17.585, p<0.001). Though 69.5% were aware of AMR, most learnt through professional training and colleagues, with only 13.3% citing online medical resources. Indicators of digital readiness, such as access to digital tools, were low; only 21.2% had access to an antibiogram, and 44.2% had never participated in AMS training, including virtual sessions.

conclusionsThese findings underscore a critical gap between knowledge and practice, driven in part by limited access to digital decision-support tools. To address the documented gaps in tool access and training, strengthening digital inclusion through context-adapted e-learning, offline-compatible AMS tools and simplified digital antibiograms is a necessary implication for improving antibiotic stewardship and clinical outcomes at the PHC level.