COVID-19 and Outpatient Antibiotic Prescriptions in the United States: A County-Level Analysis

ABSTRACT: Abstract

Background

Declines in outpatient antibiotic prescribing were reported during the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the United States; however, the overall impact of COVID-19 cases on antibiotic prescribing remains unclear.

Methods

This was an ecological study using random-effects panel regression of monthly reported COVID-19 county case and antibiotic prescription data, controlling for seasonality, urbanicity, health care access, nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), and sociodemographic factors.

Results

Antibiotic prescribing fell 26.8% in 2020 compared with prior years. Each 1% increase in county-level monthly COVID-19 cases was associated with a 0.009% (95% CI, 0.007% to 0.012%; P < .01) increase in prescriptions per

SUBMITTER:  

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10026546 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature