ALARM Research Study

The ALARM project (Advancing health risk Literacy about Antimicrobial Resistance through the use of Metaphors), funded by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), is led by Dr Eva Krockow (University of Leicester, UK) in collaboration with Professor Marc Mendelson (University of Cape Town, South Africa). The main aim of this 2.5 year project is to innovate social science methods for risk communication in the context of antibiotic resistance. Across the UK and South Africa, the project will develop the first evidence-based, user-driven approach for developing novel metaphors and language related to antibiotic resistance. In addition to advancing the fields of risk communication, metaphor theory and public health, the project will improve health risk literacy about the dangers of antibiotic overuse in human healthcare. Long-term goals are to change patient behaviour, reduce antibiotic overuse and contribute to tackling AMR. This project focuses on human health, but results on effective risk communication are expected to translate to the other One Health components (animal health and environmental health).