ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICES OF DAIRY FARMERS TOWARDS ANTIBIOTIC USE AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IN NORTH GUJARAT

Abstract

Imprudent use of antimicrobials for the treatment of livestock disease contributes to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which has a major impact on animals, human, and environmental health. Understanding dairy farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antibiotic use and AMR is crucial for the development of effective AMR surveillance, control, and prevention strategies. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out across the three randomly selected districts (Banaskantha, Mehsana, and Sabarkantha) of North Gujarat. The pre tested, structured interview schedule was used to get first-hand information from 180 dairy farmers. Extensive field visit and non-probability convenience sampling method was used for the enrollment of participants in this survey. This survey included personal-social, socio-economical and communicational variables as well as knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) towards the use of antibiotics and AMR. The association of independent variables with KAP score was checked using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Multiple regression analysis was done to find out the influence of independent variables on KAP. Kruskal-Wallis H test was done to compare the mean rank difference in the KAP score within the independent variables. The median score of knowledge, attitude and practice toward the use of antibiotic and AMR were 68.5 (45-83), 45 (19-61) and 25 (12-40), respectively. There was significantly moderate positive correlation of the knowledge with the herd size (r=0.588), milk production (r=0.596), annual income (r=0.537), land holding (r=0.422) and training (r=0.394). Similarly, practice had a significantly moderate positive correlation with the herd size (r=0.546), milk production (r=0.505), annual income (r=0.508), and land holding (r=0.354). Whereas the farmers’ attitude had a weak positive correlation with landholding, herd size, milk production, annual income, and training received. Significant mean rank (P<0.05) was observed for occupation, landholding, herd size, annual income, training, and mass media in KAP scores. Further, landholding, herd size, annual income, training, and mass media had higher values indicated the practical impact of these independent variables on KAP scores. Dunn’s post hoc analysis revealed that farmers with more landholding (>4 acres), having more herd size (>20 animals), more annual income (>17 lakh), having more total milk production/day (>86 L) and more media exposure (>8) had high KAP scores (P<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that independent variables jointly exerted an influence on the KAP (P<0.001; R² = 0.638). Further, among all the predictors, milk production emerged as the only statistically significant independent positive predictor of KAP (B = 0.168; p = 0.003), signifying prudent antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance. In conclusion, lower herd size, milk production, annual income, training, and mass media exposure had a negative impact on KAP, indicating a greater need of targeted awareness-building interventions to reduce AMR. These findings will be helpful for policymakers enforcing antimicrobial stewardship.