Psychological and cultural factors influencing antibiotic prescription

Humans have inundated the environment worldwide with antimicrobials for about one century, giving selective advantage to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Therefore, antibiotic resistance has become a public health problem responsible for increased mortality and extended hospital stays because the efficacy of anti-biotics has diminished. Hospitals and other clinical settings have implemented stewardship measures to reduce antibiotic administration and prescription. However, these measures demand multifactorial approaches, including multidis-ciplinary teams in clinical settings and the education of professionals and patients. Recent studies indicate that individual factors, such as mother-infant attachment and parenting styles, play a critical role in antibiotic use. Also, macrocontextual factors, such as economic, social, or cultural backgrounds, may impact antibiotic use rates. Therefore, research aiming to ameliorate stew-ardship measures must include psychologically and sociologically based research.