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Social norm messaging alone isn't enough to curb inappropriate antibiotic use, a new survey finds. When people were simply told what percentage of others avoid antibiotics for colds and flu, it didn't change their intentions. But adding context — explaining why antibiotics don't work for viral infections — did meaningfully reduce the desire to seek them out.
A new survey published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases by researchers at the University of Utah's Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine reveals a key gap in antibiotic stewardship communication: telling people what their peers do (or don't do) isn't enough to change behavior on its own. The study tested four messaging variations on 972 participants, all incorporating "social norm" framing — such as "62% of people don't want antibiotics for cold or flu symptoms" — with or without explanatory context about why certain antibiotic behaviors are harmful.
The results were clear: social norm messages alone had no significant impact on participants' intentions. But when contextual information explaining why antibiotics are ineffective for viral infections was added, the share of respondents wanting antibiotics for cold or flu dropped from 50% to 36%. Notably, even contextual messaging failed to move the needle on people's willingness to keep leftover antibiotics.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Antibiotic resistance is one of the most pressing global health threats, and patient behavior plays a big role. This research helps stewardship teams design smarter, evidence-based public messaging — moving beyond statistics toward education that actually shifts intentions.
