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ABINOR - Antibiotic use and infections in Norwegian primary care services 2006 – 2025

This project aims to describe the prevalence of various infections among patients visiting general practitioners and emergency medical services, as well as the use of antibiotics.

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Background

Antibiotic resistance is a growing global issue and is defined as a threat to public health. There is a clear connection between antibiotic usage and the extent of resistance, making it a pronounced goal to reduce both overall antibiotic consumption and the use of broad-spectrum and resistance-driving agents such as macrolides and quinolones.

Infections constitute a significant portion of the disease burden in the population, and effective treatment of these infections is crucial for public health. This has become even more evident during the coronavirus pandemic. The majority of infections are managed in general practitioner offices or at emergency medical services. There is a need for more knowledge regarding the utilization of primary care services for various infections over time.

Data Source

The project is based on linked data from the Settlement System for Control and Payment of Health Refunds (KUHR) and the Prescription Registry for the period 2006-2025. For selected infections, data from the Reporting System for Infectious Diseases (MSIS) is also used.

Associated Individuals

The research group possesses extensive experience in epidemiological studies, including registry research, and significant expertise related to research on infections in primary care, such as influenza, impetigo, the Giardia epidemic in Bergen, and post-infection complications.

Project Group

Project Leader: Guri Rørtveit, MD, PhD, Professor, IGS and AFE (responsible for respiratory infections)

Knut Eirik Ringheim Eliassen, PhD, Associate Professor, IGS (responsible for urinary tract infections)

Knut Erik Emberland, PhD, Associate Professor (responsible for gastroenteritis and sleep-related infections)

Knut-Arne Wensaas, PhD, Researcher II, AFE (responsible for diverticulitis and H. pylori infection)

Ingrid Rebnord, PhD, Associate Professor, IGS (responsible for gynecological infections)

Collaborators

The project will involve associated collaborators contributing to various subprojects:

Lars Haugom, PhD Candidate, Department of General Practice, IGS, UiB.

Leo Larsen, Phd Candidate at UiB

Bjørn Bjorvatn, Professor, Department of General Practice, IGS, UiB

Statistician at the core facility BIOS, UiB