Understanding veterinary drug shop workers’ knowledge and practices to identify drivers of antibiotic use in Vietnamese livestock farms

• Published in: Veterinary medicine and science Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. e1502 - n/a
• Main Authors: Nohrborg, Sandra, Nguyen‐Thi, Thinh, Xuan, Huyen Nguyen, Hai, Yen Luu Thi, Lindahl, Johanna, Boqvist, Sofia, Järhult, Josef D., Magnusson, Ulf
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-07-2024; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Adult; Agriculture; Animal Husbandry - methods; Animal Husbandry - statistics & numerical data; Animals; anti-bacterial agents; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; antibiotic sales; Antibiotics; Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial resistance; Drug resistance; Farmers; Farmers - psychology; Farmers - statistics & numerical data; Farms; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Interviews; Livestock; Male; Original; Population; Questionnaires; Rural areas; Southeast Asian People; Surveys and Questionnaires; Veterinarians - psychology; Veterinarians - statistics & numerical data; Veterinary Drugs; veterinary pharmacy; Vietnam; Workers; Vietnam; antibiotic sales; Vietnam; drug resistance; anti‐bacterial agents; livestock; veterinary pharmacy
• ISSN: 2053-1095; 2053-1095
• DOI: 10.1002/vms3.1502

Background
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a One Health issue and a major threat to animal and human health. Antibiotic use (ABU) drives AMR development, and several hotspots for ABU, and AMR, in livestock have been identified in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. There are often multiple drivers of ABU at farms, and to identify all of them there is a need to look beyond farm level.
Objectives
The overall aim of this study was to identify routines and/or competencies, related to antibiotic sales, among veterinary drug shop workers that may be improved in order to decrease the medically non‐rational use of antibiotics in livestock production.
Methods
A questionnaire‐based survey was conducted at 50 veterinary drug shops in northern Vietnam.
Results
Results showed high education and knowledge levels. According to the respondents, antibiotic treatment advice was almost always provided to the farmers, and the recommended treatment was most commonly based on recommendations for the specific disease. However, farmers had almost never had their animals properly diagnosed. Antibiotics were the most sold drug category, penicillins being the most common. Several broad‐spectrum antibiotics were also quite frequently sold. Further, >50% of respondents recommended antibiotics for disease prevention.
Conclusions
Even though education and knowledge levels might be high, several challenges can prevent drug shop workers from contributing to more prudent ABU at farms, for example, lack of proper diagnosis, commercial interests and individual farmer motives, often in combination with poor compliance to regulations.
Education and knowledge levels were high among veterinary drug shop workers. However, diagnosis prior to antibiotic treatment of livestock animals was uncommon and antibiotics were sold over‐the‐counter. Even though education and knowledge about antibiotic resistance may be high, other factors, such as commercial interests, may prevent drug shop workers from contributing to medically rational antibiotic use in farms. Providing information about the behaviour of drug shop workers can help design interventions that mitigate the emergence of antibiotic resistance.