1 Key epidemiological terminologies and concepts related to burden of bacterial AMR

This course explores the burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In public health, the term ‘burden’ refers to the overall impact of a health problem (in this case AMR) on a population.

This encompasses both health outcomes – such as illness (morbidity), death (mortality) and disability – and economic consequences – including higher healthcare costs, longer hospital stays and broader societal losses like reduced productivity.

Understanding the scale and nature of these burdens is essential for designing effective, context-specific interventions that protect public health and ensure sustainable healthcare.

Activity 2: Understanding the burden of AMR

Timing: Allow about 5 minutes

Before you start this course, think about your own setting. In what ways have you observed the health and economic impacts of AMR? How might these experiences reflect the broader burden of AMR in your country or region? Note down your thoughts in the space below.

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Discussion

There are no right or wrong answers to this question; your answers will depend on your role and your setting. You may like to revisit this activity later in the course to see whether your answers have changed.

Introduction

2 Rationale and value of assessing the burden of disease for AMR