Data Challenge: Comparative Analysis of Antimicrobial Resistance Trends

Comparative Analysis of Antimicrobial Resistance Trends in GEARS Isolates Across Regions, Infection Types, and Clinical Units

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a current and expanding crisis resulting in individuals (from infancy to old age) being at significant risk of getting infections resistant to antibiotics, and the possibility of effective treatments steadily dwindling. The efficacy and management of diseases are all at risk by the global spread of resistant pathogens. Yet, AMR often remains hidden in plain sight as many stakeholders remain unaware. There has been report of gram-negative organisms becoming increasingly resistant and community infections being attributed to AMR. However, there is still limited understanding of how resistance varies over time across regions, source of infection, organisms and clinical units. Having adequate information about the trends in resistance and understanding the variations in these trends can help in monitoring the prevalence of AMR, facilitate emergency preparedness, and guide risk assessment.
This study therefore aims to conduct a comparative analysis of AMR across multiple variables—region, clinical site, infection source (community- vs hospital-acquired), and selected bacterial species of interest from the GEARS dataset.

Research Objectives
• To compare resistance rates across different clinical units.
• To ascertain whether community-acquired or hospital-acquired infections exhibit higher resistance rates.
• To compare resistance rates across selected bacterial organisms.
• To examine variations in resistance experienced at the national and regional levels and infer potential contributing factors.
• To identify the regions and clinical unit with the highest burden of resistance.
• To build a model that can be used for predictive analysis on AMR

Expected outcomes
Through comparing highlighted variables, we aim to provide insights into AMR trends and highlights regions and units with high burden of resistance. These insights have the potential to inform regional policies, strengthen antimicrobial stewardship, and raise awareness among health professionals and the public.