Antibiotic Treatment of Respiratory Tract Infections in Adults in Norwegian General Practice

Objectives: To analyse the prevalence of respiratory tract infection (RTI) episodes with and without antibiotic prescriptions in adult patients in Norwegian general practice during the period 2012-2019.

Methods: Observational study linking data from the Norwegian Control and Payment for Health Reimbursements Database and the Norwegian Prescription Database. Episodes of acute RTIs in patients aged 18 years or older were identified and linked to antibiotic prescriptions dispensed within 7 days after diagnosis. We analysed annual infection rates and antibiotic prescription rates and antibiotics prescribed for the different RTI conditions.

Results: RTI episode rate per 1000 inhabitants was 312 in 2012 and 277 in 2019, but showed no linear trend of change during the study period ( = 0.205). Antibiotic prescription rate decreased from 37% of RTI episodes in 2012 to 23% in 2019 ( < 0.001). The reduction in prescribing was most pronounced for episodes coded with ICPC-2 symptom diagnoses, as well as upper RTIs, influenza, acute bronchitis and sinusitis. Prescriptions for phenoxymethylpenicillin decreased from 178 746 in 2012 to 143 095 in 2019, but increased as proportion of total antibiotic prescriptions from 40% in 2012 to 53% in 2019 ( < 0.001).

Conclusions: This study demonstrates stable RTI episode rates and reduced antibiotic prescription rates for RTIs for adults in Norwegian general practice 2012-2019. We also observed a shift towards relatively more use of phenoxymethylpenicillin and less broad-spectrum antibiotics. These changes are in line with the aims of the Norwegian strategy against antibiotic resistance.