The Antimicrobial Resistance Campaigns Reach and Community Engagement Evidence from Tanzania One Health Initiatives
- 1University of Dar es Salaam and One Health Society
Abstract
Objectives Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is no longer a future health problem but rather a present public health crisis. For over a decade, national AMR awareness initiatives have been undertaken in Tanzania to implement National Action Plans (NAPs). However, the assessment of whether these initiatives have reached the target population is still limited. This study evaluated physical reach, public perception and community participation in national AMR awareness campaigns in two regions in Tanzania. Methodology This is a quantitative, community-based, cross-sectional study in Dar es Salaam and Mwanza regions, Tanzania. The multistage technique was used to sample 2,672 questionnaire respondents. Participant characteristics and perceptions of the campaign were summarised using descriptive statistics. Multivariable logistic and firth regression was used to establish predictors of high AMR campaign perception and physical campaign reach. Results Only 81 (3.03%) respondents reported being reached by AMR awareness physical campaigns. Physical reach was strongly linked with high education and skilled occupation. Respondents in Mwanza were less likely to be reached by campaigns compared to Dar es Salaam. Despite limited physical reach, the overall perception campaigns were positive. The majority of the respondents agreed on the importance of community involvement (91.6%), AMR education should be brought into schools (98.9%), believed the campaign messages were accurate (79.6%) and would like to get involved with future campaigns (91.4%). Higher odds for favourable perception were found to be independently associated with physical campaign reach (AOR=2.77, 95% CI: 1.40–5.49). Conclusions The Promotion of AMR awareness campaigns in Tanzania seems to be well accepted by the public despite limited reach. Future campaigns need to shift away from one - off activities and towards ongoing and inclusive community engagement, leveraging schools, community leaders, community-based structures and systematically tracking reach and behaviours.
Related
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of comprehensive community initiatives on tobacco use and related harms
- Effects of a community-based intervention bundle on household transmission of extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in rural Burkina Faso to target community-level drivers of antimicrobial resistance in sub-Saharan Africa: a cluster-randomised trial
- Nasal carriage, antimicrobial resistance, and associated factors of Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA among elementary school children in Chiro Town, Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study.
- Building recovery capital: co-creating an assets-based community engagement toolkit for people accessing drug and alcohol treatment services
- A global community of practice to improve public–private engagement in TB: the TBPPM Learning Network
BibTeX
@misc{awami2026antimicrobial,
title = {{The Antimicrobial Resistance Campaigns Reach and Community Engagement Evidence from Tanzania One Health Initiatives}},
author = {R. R. Awami and K. Said and J. Kabuhaya and G. Swila and G. Ndunguru and C. Korosso and J. Munema and M. S. Mutashobya and S. Charles and H. Msagama},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.64898/2026.10.01.26364341},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.01.26364341v1},
note = {Public domain},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - The Antimicrobial Resistance Campaigns Reach and Community Engagement Evidence from Tanzania One Health Initiatives
AU - R. R. Awami
AU - K. Said
AU - J. Kabuhaya
AU - G. Swila
AU - G. Ndunguru
AU - C. Korosso
AU - J. Munema
AU - M. S. Mutashobya
AU - S. Charles
AU - H. Msagama
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.10.01.26364341
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.01.26364341v1
AB - Objectives Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is no longer a future health problem but rather a present public health crisis. For over a decade, national AMR awareness initiatives have been undertaken in Tanzania to implement National Action Plans (NAPs). However, the assessment of whether these initiatives have reached the target population is still limited. This study evaluated physical reach, public perception and community participation in national AMR awareness campaigns in two regions in Tanzania. Methodology This is a quantitative, community-based, cross-sectional study in Dar es Salaam and Mwanza regions, Tanzania. The multistage technique was used to sample 2,672 questionnaire respondents. Participant characteristics and perceptions of the campaign were summarised using descriptive statistics. Multivariable logistic and firth regression was used to establish predictors of high AMR campaign perception and physical campaign reach. Results Only 81 (3.03%) respondents reported being reached by AMR awareness physical campaigns. Physical reach was strongly linked with high education and skilled occupation. Respondents in Mwanza were less likely to be reached by campaigns compared to Dar es Salaam. Despite limited physical reach, the overall perception campaigns were positive. The majority of the respondents agreed on the importance of community involvement (91.6%), AMR education should be brought into schools (98.9%), believed the campaign messages were accurate (79.6%) and would like to get involved with future campaigns (91.4%). Higher odds for favourable perception were found to be independently associated with physical campaign reach (AOR=2.77, 95% CI: 1.40–5.49). Conclusions The Promotion of AMR awareness campaigns in Tanzania seems to be well accepted by the public despite limited reach. Future campaigns need to shift away from one - off activities and towards ongoing and inclusive community engagement, leveraging schools, community leaders, community-based structures and systematically tracking reach and behaviours.
ER -