New Publication: Antibiotic Use for Respiratory Infections Among Migrants During the Pandemic
A new population‑wide registry study led by PhD candidate Leo Larsen has been published in BMC Primary Care, examining how migrants in Norway were treated for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) before and during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The research team includes Leo Larsen, Valborg Baste, Esperanza Díaz, Guri Rørtveit, and Knut Erik Emberland
Published: (Updated: )
Using linked national health registries covering the years 2018–2021, the study follows adults born in Norway, Poland, Somalia, Sri Lanka, and Syria to assess patterns in antibiotic treatment for RTIs. (external link)
The findings show a clear trend:
- Antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) were reduced by about half during the pandemic across all population groups, regardless of country of birth.
- Phenoxymethylpenicillin remained the most commonly used antibiotic, accounting for 48.5–65.3% of all RTI treatments, depending on the group.
- Overall, the results show stable prescribing practices, even as the pandemic significantly changed how people used primary healthcare services.
This publication adds valuable insight into the use of antibiotics in Norwegian primary care and highlights how health crises may affect different parts of the population unequally. Larsen has been an active contributor to the Pandemic Centre Research Catalyst, and this work represents an important contribution to the field of pandemic‑related primary care research.