Sustained increases in antibiotic prescriptions per primary care consultation for upper respiratory tract infections in England during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The responsible use of existing antimicrobials is essential in reducing the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR). With the introduction of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, a substantial reduction in face-to-face appointments in general practice was observed. To understand if this shift in healthcare provision has impacted on prescribing practices, we investigated antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) consultations.

Methods

We conducted an interrupted time-series analysis using patient-level primary care data to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consultations and antibiotic prescribing for URTI in England.

Results

We estimated an increase of 105.7 antibiotic items per 1000 URTI consultations (95%

SUBMITTER: Yang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9921722 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature