Using a cultural contexts of health approach to address the challenge of antibiotic resistance

Abstract This presentation will provide an overview of key findings from a 2019 policy brief published by the WHO Regional Office for Europe using a cultural contexts of health approach to address the global health challenge of antibiotic resistance (ABR; see publication http://www.euro.who.int/en/publications/abstracts/antibiotic-resistance-using-a-cultural-contexts-of-health-approach-to-address-a-global-health-challenge-2019). It will delineate what a cultural contexts of health approach is and why it matters for tackling the contemporary threat of ABR. It is now increasingly recognized that the systematic neglect of cultural factors is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving better health outcomes and better standards of living worldwide. Using a cultural contexts of health approach, the presentation will describe how the prescription and use of antibacterial medicines, the transmission of resistance, and the regulation and funding of research are influenced by cultural, social and commercial, as well as biological and technological factors. The presentation will demonstrate how culture can serve as an enabler of health and provides new possibilities for change.