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Appropriate Antibiotic Use

Every year, millions of people rely on antibiotics to treat infections and help them get better. But did you know that using antibiotics when they’re not needed can actually do more harm than good?

Antimicrobial resistance happens when germs like bacteria, viruses, or fungi change over time and become smarter than the medicines designed to kill them. In other words, the germs “learn” how to survive, making infections harder — and sometimes impossible — to treat with the usual antibiotics.

This can lead to longer illnesses, more doctor visits, and medicines that may have more side effects.

Why Does Antimicrobial Stewardship Matter?

In the US, roughly 30% of antibiotics prescribed outpatient are unnecessary1. And while antibiotics are life-saving medicines, when they’re overused or used incorrectly, bacteria can adapt and become resistant. This means that infections become harder — and sometimes impossible — to treat. Antibiotic resistance is an urgent global public health threat.

By using antibiotics wisely, we can:

  • Keep antibiotics working for when we really need them
  • Protect ourselves, our families, and our communities from drug-resistant infections
  • Reduce side effects and unnecessary medical costs

At OSDH we’re proud to support the CDC’s Be Antibiotics Aware Campaign, which educates patients and healthcare professionals about the safe and appropriate use of antibiotics. Here’s what you can do to help:

  • Only take antibiotics when prescribed by a doctor.
  • Don’t demand antibiotics for viral illnesses like colds or the flu — they won’t help!
  • Always take your antibiotics exactly as prescribed — finish the course, even if you feel better.
  • Never share or save leftover antibiotics.
  • For more resources, check out Patient Education Resources - Antibiotic Prescribing and Use (CDC)

US Antibiotics Awareness Week (US AAW) is a national campaign occurring annually November 18-24th. This is a time to highlight how much antibiotics and appropriate use of antibiotics impact all of us. With the theme of “Fighting Antibiotic Resistance Takes All of Us” we focus in on how together, we can protect the power of antibiotics for not only ourselves but future generations.

Flyers

Antibiotic Resistance can and does impact all of us. There are lots of ways that you can help prevent the development of resistance: by only taking antibiotics as prescribed by a doctor, not pressuring your medical professional for an antibiotic when you have a viral infection, and through appropriate hygiene practices to prevent infection spread to begin with.

These healthy practices are for young and old alike! Please utilize our specially crafted curriculum to share the message of antimicrobial resistance and infection prevention with your children (designed for ages 8-12 years). We utilize fun games and colorful pictures to teach these important constructs. Attached in the packet you will find all the materials you need to play the interactive learning games and the script to teach the rules and lessons.

Antibiotic Avengers Toolkit

References

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nov. 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/media/pdfs/Core-Elements-Outpatient-508.pdf. Accessed 14 July 2025.