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Selective decrease in consultations and antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections in UK primary
Martin Gulliford1, Radoslav Latinovic, Judith Charlton
1Department of Public Health Sciences, King's College London, Capital House, 42 Weston St, London SE1 3QD UK. martin.gulliford@kcl.ac.uk
Journal of Public Health (Oxford, England)
|September 8, 2009
Summary
Primary care consultations and antibiotic prescriptions for acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs) decreased in the UK between 1997 and 2006. This trend, driven by fewer visits for colds and upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), reduced overall antibiotic use.
Area of Science:
- General Practice
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are common reasons for primary care visits.
- Antibiotic prescribing for RTIs has been a focus of antimicrobial stewardship efforts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in primary care consultations for RTIs in the UK.
- To estimate changes in antibiotic prescribing patterns for RTIs from 1997 to 2006.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the UK General Practice Research Database.
- Analyzed consultations and antibiotic prescriptions for 100,000 subjects across 78 family practices.
Main Results:
- Consultation rates for RTIs declined in both males and females.
- Antibiotic prescribing rates for RTIs also decreased, with a notable reduction in prescriptions for colds, rhinitis, and upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs).
Conclusions:
- The declining frequency of consultations for common RTIs like colds and URTIs is a key factor in reducing overall antibiotic utilization.
- These findings highlight a positive trend in antibiotic stewardship for respiratory infections in UK primary care.
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