The prescription of antibiotics for children is reduced in Sweden

According to the National Council of Health Statistics, the prescription of antibiotics has decreased in the number of daily doses per capita. From 2007 to 2017, the decrease is 23%. Halland County has the most declined by 28%, while Gotland has only reduced the prescription by 1%.

The prescription of antibiotics for children has decreased by 43% between 2007 and 2017. For people over 80, development is much slower, with a decline of nearly 9%, according to figures from the National Council of health. A daily dose is the average amount of medication that a patient takes per day.

The trend is natural statement from Malin Grape, chief of the Antibiotics and Health Care Unit at the Public Health Authority.

– The greatest decrease has occurred in children. This is where we believe that the most unnecessary prescription, for example against common viral infections, has occurred. In older people, we live longer than before and you become more susceptible to infections that may require treatment with antibiotics. For those who really need antibiotics, we do not want to reduce the use, but only the unnecessary and incorrect prescription.

According to her, the general decline is explained by several reasons.

"County councils, municipalities and doctors have done an effective job, we have also noticed a change of attitude towards the population.If you are aware of the problem, you can not consult a doctor in the hope to print antibiotics, which will make it easier for doctors to decide whether to give up or wait.

The reason for overuse Axana Haggar, investigator and dispute microbiologist on the county's board of directors, explains why antibiotics have several reasons. One of the reasons that has traditionally contributed is the treatment of viruses.

"You should never use antibiotics for viral infections, so nothing happens, in Sweden it has gone down a lot, it's probably no longer so common." On the international front, we're good at compared to many others.

According to Malin Grape, development is progressing, but since resistance is part of the evolution of bacteria, it probably does not stop completely.

– The overuse that has taken decades has led to a sharp increase. Resistant bacteria have an advantage because other bacteria die, then they can share these qualities from their point of view. Bacteria adapt to the environment, she says.

Several factors that less According to Axana Haggar, the printed prescriptions play with the goal of reducing the use of antibiotics.

– Everyone has to help. Health, food and pharmaceutical industry. But then, it is very important to work preventively. We have seen a positive evolution in the development and respect of the rules of cleanliness in hospitals and others. If you do not contract an infection, you usually do not need antibiotics, she says.

If antibiotic resistance continues to increase, there will be little
Main consequences according to Malin Grape.

"As a result, you can not prevent infections in the way required for advanced health care, it is very difficult to perform certain operations or, for example, chemotherapy, so that can be very risky. already have consequences for both increased morbidity, mortality and costs.

Despite the development It looks hard, there is a light glue according to Axana Haggar.

"I am positive because we started talking about it when it was brought to the highest international level, it will be necessary for all countries to cooperate so that bacteria do not feel limited.