Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Antibiotic Prescribing by Dental Practitioners Across the United Kingdom's Four Countries: A Pharmacoepidemiological Study of Population-Level Dispensing Data, 2016-2023.
Jonathan Bowman-Newmark, Amin Vahdati, Anup Karki, Linda Young, Gerry Cleary, Wendy Thompson
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Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate and compare the rates of antibiotic prescribing by dental practitioners across the constituent countries of the United Kingdom between March 2020 and August 2023 and to estimate the total 'excess' prescribing that occurred during this interval beyond the rates predicted based upon trends between March 2016 and February 2020.
Methods: Retrospective pharmacoepidemiological study of dental practitioners' antibiotic prescribing, by secondary analysis of population-level National Health Service dispensing data from England, Scotland, Wales and Health and Social Care dispensing data from Northern Ireland.
Results: Effective August 2023, the antibiotic items dispensed rate for each country remained in excess of that predicted based upon pre-pandemic trends. Between March 2020 and August 2023, those rates were 175.6, 227.2, 195.0 and 321.8 antibiotic items per 1000 population for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively. Those represented estimated total 'excesses' of 27.7% (95% confidence limit [CL], 14.8, 43.7), 43.3% (95% CL, 29.9, 60.0), 33.2% (95% CL, 20.4, 49.0) and 42.9% (95% CL, 27.6, 62.3). Pairwise comparisons showed statistically significant differences between England and Scotland, England and Northern Ireland, and Wales and Northern Ireland (p < 0.001), Scotland and Wales (p = 0.001), and Scotland and Northern Ireland (p = 0.009). There was no statistically significant difference between England and Wales.
Conclusions: With shared prescribing guidelines and a single professional regulatory framework, it was unsurprising that similar antibiotic prescribing trends were found across the United Kingdom. Further research is required to investigate the reasons for the differences.
期刊介绍：
The aim of Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology is to serve as a forum for scientifically based information in community dentistry, with the intention of continually expanding the knowledge base in the field. The scope is therefore broad, ranging from original studies in epidemiology, behavioral sciences related to dentistry, and health services research through to methodological reports in program planning, implementation and evaluation. Reports dealing with people of all age groups are welcome.
The journal encourages manuscripts which present methodologically detailed scientific research findings from original data collection or analysis of existing databases. Preference is given to new findings. Confirmations of previous findings can be of value, but the journal seeks to avoid needless repetition. It also encourages thoughtful, provocative commentaries on subjects ranging from research methods to public policies. Purely descriptive reports are not encouraged, nor are behavioral science reports with only marginal application to dentistry.
The journal is published bimonthly.
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