Antimicrobial use and resistance awareness among conventional poultry producers in Hossaina town, Central Ethiopia

The knowledge, attitudes, and practices of poultry farmers are crucial to the responsible use of antimicrobials in poultry farming and to preventing the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, information on poultry producers’ awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antimicrobial use (AMR) and AMR remains limited in Hossaina town, Central Ethiopia. The main objective of this questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey conducted between October 2023 and June 2024 was to assess the KAP of 36 individuals from 19 conventional poultry farms in Hossaina town, central Ethiopia. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with the chief managers of the selected farms. The results showed that most participants had low levels of knowledge (50.0%), attitudes (47.22%), and practices (41.60%) regarding AMU and AMR. Only a small portion demonstrated good KAP: 22.20% for knowledge, 19.44% for attitudes, and 25% for practices. The study also found a strong positive correlation between farmers’ knowledge and attitudes. Factors such as educational background, experience in poultry farming, the type of chickens raised ( p = 0.000), and whether their education was health-related significantly influenced their KAP. However, receiving training on AMU and AMR did not have a statistically significant impact on their KAP, indicating that training alone may not be sufficient to improve these aspects. Overall, poultry producers in the study area exhibited poor knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding AMU and AMR, underscoring the need for comprehensive regulatory measures to promote responsible antimicrobial use in poultry farming. Additionally, respondents’ knowledge significantly affected their attitudes ( r = 0.5506, p = 0.0005) and practices ( r = 0.6420, p < 0.0001), and their attitudes also influenced their practices ( r = 0.5337, p = 0.0008) related to AMU and AMR. This finding underscores the urgent need for integrated, evidence-based interventions that go beyond conventional training to address structural, educational and behavioural drivers of antimicrobial misuse, thereby curbing the emergence and spread of AMR in poultry production systems.