Community Antibiotic Use at the Population Level During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in British Columbia, Canada.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The objective of this study was to examine the aggregate rates of antibiotic use at the population level and compare these rates over time against historical averages to identify the effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the resulting control measures on community prescribing.

Methods

We collected antibiotic prescriptions and physician office visits from January 1, 2016, to July 21, 2020. We calculated monthly prescription rates stratified by sex, age group, profession, diagnosis type, and antibiotic class. We looked at monthly prescription rate as a moving average over time. Using the interrupted time series analysis method, we estimated the changes in prescription rates after March 2020.

Results

The moving average of o

SUBMITTER: Mamun AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8083279 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature