IMPACTO DE CAMPANHAS DE CONSCIENTIZAÇÃO PARA ESTUDANTES DE MEDICINA E CIÊNCIAS DA VIDA DA PUCPR QUANTO AO USO CORRETO DE ANTIBIÓTICOS

INTRODUCTION: Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest challenges in global public health, exacerbated by the inappropriate use of antibiotics in various contexts. Health education emerges as an essential strategy to address this problem, especially in academic settings. Based on this premise, the present project evaluated the impact of an educational campaign carried out at the School of Medicine and Life Sciences (EMCV) of PUCPR between 2023 and 2025, aiming to promote the proper use of antibiotics among university students. AIMS: The original goal was to implement a second awareness campaign using multimedia resources and to assess its isolated impact as well as its combined effect with the first edition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study followed a longitudinal “before-and-after” design, applying a 44-question survey at two time points: before (Q1) and after (Q2) the campaign, with 479 respondents in Q1 and 224 in Q2. Awareness activities included digital media, leaflets, posters, and publications on academic platforms. Descriptive analysis was performed using Excel, and statistical analysis was conducted in SPSS with nonparametric tests, such as Chi-square, McNemar, and Wilcoxon, appropriate to the nature of the data. RESULTS: The findings indicated a significant improvement in students’ knowledge, particularly on topics such as “One Health,” mechanisms of transmission of resistant bacteria, and the role of vaccination. However, some issues — such as those related to the environmental impact of antibiotics — showed decline or stagnation, indicating the need for more specific approaches in these areas. The comparison between students who answered both questionnaires also revealed greater progress compared to those who participated in only one phase. Overall, both genders performed similarly in both survey applications. The project highlights the effectiveness of educational campaigns in university settings as a tool for addressing antimicrobial resistance, correlates these findings with results from the literature, and underscores the importance of maintaining, diversifying, and adapting such initiatives to the target audience. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: The study concludes that the university is a strategic venue for health education initiatives and that periodic, well-structured campaigns using accessible language can contribute significantly to the rational use of antibiotics. It is also recommended that underexplored topics be incorporated and that these initiatives be expanded beyond health-related courses, fostering an interdisciplinary approach aligned with the principles of One Health.

KEYWORDS: Effectiveness; Campaign; Antimicrobial resistance; University; Medical students.