​Each year in the United States, at least 2 million people become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and at least 23,000 die as a result. Antibiotics save lives but any time antibiotics are used, they can cause side effects and lead to antibiotic resistance. At least 80 million antibiotic prescriptions each year are unnecessary, which makes improving antibiotic prescribing and use a national priority.

The Public Health Foundation (PHF) partners with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to distribute two of its Be Antibiotics Aware Campaign materials through PHF’s Online Store. These materials provide information to help providers effectively communicate the risks of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to patients:

• Antibiotics Aren’t Always the Answer Brochure (Pkg of 50)
• Be Antibiotics Aware: Viral Illness Prescription Pad (Pkg of 10)

Visit the CDC’s Be Antibiotics Aware website for more information about this national effort. Make decisions with data sources such as CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Patient Safety Atlas, with interactive data about HAIs, customizable maps and tables to show resistance patterns, and data on three key types of infections and 31 bug-drug profiles.

Access additional Antibiotic Stewardship Resources from PHF:

• Use PHF’s Public Health Antibiotic Stewardship Driver Diagram to promote optimal antibiotic use within the public health and systems.
• Read How South Dakota Reduced CRE through a Multi-Disciplinary Approach, a blog on PHF Pulse.
• Hear about antibiotic stewardship successes in Illinois and Nebraska on a PHF webinar, Building Cross-Sector Collaborations to Promote Effective Antibiotic Use in Inpatient, Outpatient, and Long-Term Care Settings.
• TRAIN Learning Network offers courses on antimicrobial and antibiotic resistance and stewardship.