Analyzing antimicrobial resistance as a series of collective action problems

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a pressing health issue causing over 1.27 million deaths annually. Large-scale global initiatives are needed to address this issue, but collective action theories have not been applied in a systematic and holistic manner. This article uses Elinor Ostrom’s work to develop an analytical framework for collective action problems around public and common goods. The framework identifies at least nine distinct collective action problems, providing a better basis for developing policy solutions. The article concludes with proposals for future research.