Antibiotic use in township hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shandong, China
Abstract Background The overuse of antibiotics in primary healthcare settings (PHSs) has caused a serious public health problem in China. The outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic brought about dramatic changes in the supply of and demand for medical services in PHSs, possibly r...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-022-01206-8 |
| _version_ | 1797977287682949120 |
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| author | Ting Wang Liyan Shen Jia Yin Liansheng Zhou Qiang Sun |
| author_facet | Ting Wang Liyan Shen Jia Yin Liansheng Zhou Qiang Sun |
| author_sort | Ting Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The overuse of antibiotics in primary healthcare settings (PHSs) has caused a serious public health problem in China. The outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic brought about dramatic changes in the supply of and demand for medical services in PHSs, possibly resulting in unprecedented changes in antibiotic use. Objective This study aims to assess the immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the changes in antibiotic consumption in PHSs. Method The data on antibiotic consumption were collected from selected township hospitals in Shandong, China from January 2019 to December 2021. Antibiotic consumption was quantified by using the defined daily doses (DDDs) and the WHO Access, Watch, Reserve category. A segmented regression model was established to analyze the immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic use by using the interrupted time series analysis. Results The overall antibiotic consumption in all PHSs decreased by 32.04% and 16.69% in 2020 and 2021 respectively compared to the corresponding period in 2019. Over the entire study period, the use of penicillins (J01C) and cephalosporins (J01D) accounted for more than 50% of the total antibiotic consumption. The average annual consumption of Watch category antibiotics decreased by 42.02% and 33.47% in 2020 and 2021 respectively compared to that in 2019. According to the interrupted time series analysis, the total antibiotic consumption decreased significantly immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (coef. = − 2.712, p = 0.045), but it then increased significantly over a long-term (coef. = 0.205, p = 0.005). Additionally, the consumption of Access category antibiotics increased significantly in PHSs in the long-term (coef. = 0.136, p = 0.018). However, the consumption of Watch category antibiotics declined sharply immediately after the pandemic (coef. = − 1.222, p < 0.001), but then it increased slightly over a long-term (coef. = 0.073, p < 0.001). Conclusion The extensive use of penicillin and cephalosporins should be of great concern. After the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the total antibiotic consumption decreased generally and the use pattern was improved to some extent in the PHSs in Shandong, China. This provides an opportunity for improving the misuse of antibiotics in PHSs in China. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:04:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b106773a780447ac8e981f42a3318458 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2047-2994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:04:28Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control |
| spelling | doaj.art-b106773a780447ac8e981f42a33184582022-12-25T12:29:57ZengBMCAntimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control2047-29942022-12-0111111010.1186/s13756-022-01206-8Antibiotic use in township hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shandong, ChinaTing Wang0Liyan Shen1Jia Yin2Liansheng Zhou3Qiang Sun4Center for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityCenter for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityCenter for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityZhucheng Center for Disease Control and PreventionCenter for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityAbstract Background The overuse of antibiotics in primary healthcare settings (PHSs) has caused a serious public health problem in China. The outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic brought about dramatic changes in the supply of and demand for medical services in PHSs, possibly resulting in unprecedented changes in antibiotic use. Objective This study aims to assess the immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the changes in antibiotic consumption in PHSs. Method The data on antibiotic consumption were collected from selected township hospitals in Shandong, China from January 2019 to December 2021. Antibiotic consumption was quantified by using the defined daily doses (DDDs) and the WHO Access, Watch, Reserve category. A segmented regression model was established to analyze the immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic use by using the interrupted time series analysis. Results The overall antibiotic consumption in all PHSs decreased by 32.04% and 16.69% in 2020 and 2021 respectively compared to the corresponding period in 2019. Over the entire study period, the use of penicillins (J01C) and cephalosporins (J01D) accounted for more than 50% of the total antibiotic consumption. The average annual consumption of Watch category antibiotics decreased by 42.02% and 33.47% in 2020 and 2021 respectively compared to that in 2019. According to the interrupted time series analysis, the total antibiotic consumption decreased significantly immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (coef. = − 2.712, p = 0.045), but it then increased significantly over a long-term (coef. = 0.205, p = 0.005). Additionally, the consumption of Access category antibiotics increased significantly in PHSs in the long-term (coef. = 0.136, p = 0.018). However, the consumption of Watch category antibiotics declined sharply immediately after the pandemic (coef. = − 1.222, p < 0.001), but then it increased slightly over a long-term (coef. = 0.073, p < 0.001). Conclusion The extensive use of penicillin and cephalosporins should be of great concern. After the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the total antibiotic consumption decreased generally and the use pattern was improved to some extent in the PHSs in Shandong, China. This provides an opportunity for improving the misuse of antibiotics in PHSs in China.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-022-01206-8Antibiotic consumptionCOVID-19Primary healthcare settingsChina |
| spellingShingle | Ting Wang Liyan Shen Jia Yin Liansheng Zhou Qiang Sun Antibiotic use in township hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shandong, China Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control Antibiotic consumption COVID-19 Primary healthcare settings China |
| title | Antibiotic use in township hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shandong, China |
| title_full | Antibiotic use in township hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shandong, China |
| title_fullStr | Antibiotic use in township hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shandong, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antibiotic use in township hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shandong, China |
| title_short | Antibiotic use in township hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shandong, China |
| title_sort | antibiotic use in township hospitals during the covid 19 pandemic in shandong china |
| topic | Antibiotic consumption COVID-19 Primary healthcare settings China |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-022-01206-8 |
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