Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing for Respiratory Tract Infections in Canadian Primary Care: Resu

The purpose of this study was to examine rates of antibiotic prescribing for RTI and UTI in primary care during the first year of the pandemic (2020), compared to baseline in 2019. [...] Conclusion A significant decrease in antibiotic prescribing for RTI across primary care was observed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, likely related to the changes in epidemiology and care delivery models in primary care. [...] POTENTIALLY INAPPROPRIATE ANTIBIOTIC PRESCRIBING 15 THE CANADIAN PRIMARY CARE SENTINEL SURVEILLANCE NETWORK Discussion This study compared antibiotic prescribing for RTI/ILI and UTI in primary care in Canada before and during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. [...] Because the use of antibiotics for the treatment of UTI is often indicated, unlike in the case of RTI, the type and duration of antibiotics used is the most relevant factor. [...] Despite a lack of change in the rate of antibiotic prescriptions for UTI, there was a decrease in the duration of antibiotic prescription between 2019 and 2020 for many common antibiotics.