Healthcare expenditures and increasing antimicrobial consumption in Turkey

The aim of this study was to assess the trend in antimicrobial consumption in Turkey between 2007 and 2010.

Antimicrobial consumption data were obtained from Intercontinental Medical Statistics Turkey office. The total antimicrobial consumption data were calculated as Defined Daily Dose (DDD)/1000 inhabitant-days. The correlation between the previous five-year period and association with the main indicators of economy and healthcare services of the country were assessed.

Total utilization of antibiotics increased from 33.7 to 38.8 DDD/1000 inhabitant-days between 2007 and 2010. A steady increase took place during the study period. When this period was compared with the previous period (between 2001 and 2006), a similar trend was found. Turkey's total healthcare expenditure 2001 to 2010 increased from 4.5 billion Turkish Liras to 32 billion Turkish Liras.

In Turkey, antibiotic consumption increased steadily in recent years, with a close relation to government healthcare support policy, rising health expenditures and other economical indicators.