Changes in antimicrobial prescriptions in South Korea during and beyond the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: An interrupted time-series analysis - 24/11/25
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Résumé |
Background |
Although the coronavirus pandemic significantly affected antibiotic use, studies on the long-term effects of the pandemic on antibiotic use are lacking. We aimed to investigate the changes in antibiotic prescriptions during the pandemic and subsequent endemic period in South Korea.
Methods |
For this interrupted time-series study, we used claims data from the National Health Insurance System for January 2018 to December 2023. We used generalized least-squares models with the pandemic and endemic periods as interventions. We measured changes in the number of patients prescribed antibiotics, number of prescriptions, and cost of prescriptions during the pre-pandemic, pandemic, and endemic periods. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to hospital type, patient type, and antibiotic class.
Results |
During the study period, 694 million patients were prescribed antibiotics. The standardized coefficient of immediate effect on the number of patients prescribed antibiotics at the start of the pandemic was −0.936 ( P < .001). Abrupt decreases were followed by a gradual upslope during the endemic (0.577, P < .001). Tertiary hospitals exhibited an immediate decrease at the beginning of the pandemic (−0.869, P < .001) and early subsequent recovery during the endemic (1.491, P = .001).
Conclusions |
This study may help inform flexible policies for infection control, antimicrobial stewardship, and public health improvement.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Highlights |
• | Studies on the long-term effects of the pandemic on antibiotic use are lacking. |
• | We performed interrupted time-series analysis on Korean nationwide insurance data. |
• | Prescriptions dropped significantly during the pandemic and recovered thereafter. |
• | The drop was possibly caused by public health measures in response to the pandemic. |
Key Words : Antimicrobial prescription, Antimicrobial stewardship, Hospitals
Plan
| Funding/support: This work was supported by a grant of the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (grant number: RS-2023-KH134766 and RS-2025-02223073) and by the Dong-A University research fund. The funder of the study had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, writing of the report, or the decision to submit the article for publication. |
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| Conflicts of interest: None to report. |
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| Availability of data and materials: Further information on the data is summarized on the relevant Web site (https://www.nhis.or.kr/english/index.do). |
Vol 53 - N° 12
P. 1292-1299 - décembre 2025 Retour au numéro
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