Be AWARE- Get Smart Week November 18-24

Be AWARE- Get Smart Week November 18-24 

Get Smart about Antibiotics is a weeklong observance of the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. From November 18-24 an annual effort to coordinate the work of CDC's Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work campaign, state-based appropriate antibiotic use campaigns, non-profit partners, and for-profit partners fund public service announcements and educational forums about antibiotic use and its risks. Here are some of things that were promoted this year:

• Public service announcements are aired on radio stations from Nov. 19-24.
• English and Spanish (jpg) billboards are displayed in the Portland-Salem Metro area. As well as Redmond, Prineville, and Bend. 
• Pharmacists distribute "bagstuffers" (pdf) to patients at pharmacies throughout the State of Oregon. 
• On November 16, the OSU College of Pharmacy was at Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland to get the word out about antibiotic resistance and appropriate antibiotic use. Read more about the event.

Before people get involved they wonder if these events are truly making a difference.  According to a study by Johnson Research in 2010 the use of antibiotics in Oregon is the second lowest in the nation, meaning that all the efforts by physicians and campaigns’ like Get Smart have really been making a difference! If you are interested in reading more about how Oregonians are shunning Antibiotics, click on the link.

If you are concerned on whether or not you to get involved or you are interested in getting involved here is the website to the Oregon Health Authority where you can find resources and educational information to promote positive changes in your community. Remember if we all participate we can make a difference and keep the “superbugs” at bay!

  

 Written by: Aurora T.