Antibiotics and the Human Microbiome: A Survey of Prescribing Clinicians’ Knowledge and Opinions Regarding the Link Between Antibiotic-Induced Dysbiosis and Immune-Mediated Disease

Wilson, Matthew H.

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Year:: 2020
Contributor:: Wilson, Matthew H (creator); Gruppuso, Philip (Advisor); Brown University. Division of Biology and Medicine (sponsor)
Genre:: theses
Subject:: microbiome, dysbiosis, antibiotics, immune-mediated disease, prescriber, clinician, survey
Extent:: v, 43 p.

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Abstract:: The human microbiome has shown increasing importance with respect to human health and disease, and plays a vital role in critical processes such as energy metabolism and immune system homeostasis. Disruption in the composition or function of the microbiome, termed dysbiosis, has been associated with a variety of immune-mediated diseases, and antibiotics are one of the most well-studied causes of dysbiosis. Given our high frequency of antibiotic use, the increasing incidence of immune-mediated diseases in developed countries, and growing evidence that antibiotic-induced microbiome dysbiosis is associated with immune-mediated disease, we conducted an electronic survey of 351 antibiotic-prescribing clinicians in Rhode Island aimed at evaluating their antibiotic prescription patterns, their knowledge and opinions of the importance of the human microbiome, and its relation to antibiotics and the immune system. We found that, in general, clinicians believe the health of the human microbiome is important to consider when prescribing antibiotics, however they do not feel well-informed or confident in their knowledge about the microbiome or its relevance to patient health. A higher level of self-reported knowledge about the microbiome was associated with increased mean importance placed on the microbiome and its relevance to medical practice. The results of our survey indicate that clinicians might particularly benefit from continued medical education of the link between antibiotics-induced dysbiosis and immune-mediated disease. This may be especially warranted given the rapid pace of research in this field.
Notes:: Thesis (Sc. M.)--Brown University, 2020

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Rights: In Copyright
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Citation

Wilson, Matthew H., "Antibiotics and the Human Microbiome: A Survey of Prescribing Clinicians’ Knowledge and Opinions Regarding the Link Between Antibiotic-Induced Dysbiosis and Immune-Mediated Disease" (2020). Biology and Medicine Theses and Dissertations. Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:1129400/

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Biology and Medicine Theses and Dissertations

Theses and Dissertations for the Biology and Medicine department.
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