Antibiotics for common infections in primary care before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: cohort study of extent of prescribing based on risks of infection-related hospital admissions.

ABSTRACT: ObjectivesAntibiotics are effective in treating bacterial infections, but they carry the risks of antimicrobial resistance and effectiveness loss. This study aimed to assess whether antibiotics for common infections are prescribed in a risk-based manner and how this changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignCohort study of common infections and antibiotic prescribing.SettingWith the approval of NHS England, we accessed pseudonymised patient-level electronic health records of primary care data from The Phoenix Partnership through OpenSAFELY.ParticipantsWe included adults registered at general practices in England with a record of common infection, including lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and lower urinary tract infection (UTI), from Janu

SUBMITTER: Fahmi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11969485 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature