Overview of Methods for Assessing Antimicrobial Use in Outpatient Settings in High-Income Countries: A Narrative Review.

ABSTRACT: Background/Objectives: Over 80-90% of antibiotics are used in outpatient settings, where interactions among diverse prescribers, dispensers, and patients create complex usage patterns. The study examines how outpatient antimicrobial use is monitored in high-income countries (HICs), focusing on data sources and their relevance for stewardship and surveillance. Methods: This narrative review searched MEDLINE and Embase for English-language studies reporting outpatient antimicrobial use in HICs (from inception to 2023), supplemented by reference screening, targeted Google web searches, and expert input. Studies were categorized by data collection method, study period, and WHO Region. Key characteristics such as patient group, disease focus, country, dataset, and reported outcome

SUBMITTER: Kotwani A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12649155 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature