Determinants of outpatient antibiotic use in Switzerland in relation to regions, seasonality and point of care tests: A representative analysis of national differences

Background: Use of antibiotics is highest in primary care and directly associated with antibiotic resistance in the community. We assessed regional variations in antibiotic use in primary care and antibiotic resistance in Switzerland, and explored prescription patterns in relation to the use of point of care tests. Methods: Defined daily doses of antibiotics per 1000 inhabitants (DDD1000pd) were calculated for the year 2007 from reimbursement data of the largest Swiss health insurer based on the anatomic therapeutic chemical classification and the DDD methodology by WHO. We present ecological associations by use…