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February 13, 2026Open Access

Global trends in inappropriate use of antibiotics, 2000–2021: scoping review and prevalence estimates

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Authors

RMRanya MulchandaniKTKatie TiseoANArindam Nandi

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Overview

A scoping review reveals high prevalence of inappropriate antibiotic use globally, suggesting urgent action is needed.

Key Points

  • The study aims to summarize global trends in inappropriate antibiotic use and estimate its prevalence across different regions.
  • Reviewed 412 studies published between 2000 and 2021.
  • Analyzed data on inappropriate use from clinical audits and patient interviews.
  • Employed beta regression to compare prevalence by study design, indicator, and income level.
  • Estimated global inappropriate antibiotic use based on country-level sales and derived estimates.
  • Inappropriate antibiotic use prevalence was approximately 30% globally.
  • Clinical audits were the most common study design at 50.1%, while non-prescription use was the primary indicator at 37.1%.
  • Prevalence was ~6% higher in low-income and middle-income countries compared to high-income countries, but this difference disappeared when considering access to care.
  • An estimated 13,000,000 kg of antibiotics are consumed unnecessarily each year.

Cite This Study

Mulchandani et al. (2025) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/698ebf5d85a1ff6a93016bb3https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-291271
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Antibiotics Use Patterns in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review Analysis2026
  2. 2Measuring appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing in high-income countries: a rapid systematic review of indicators2025
  3. 3Addressing Inappropriate Antibiotic Use: Findings From a Point Prevalence Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital2025
  4. 4Trends in the appropriateness of oral antibiotic prescriptions dispensed in the United States from 2010 to 20182024
  5. 5Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in Ethiopian hospitals: a systematic review2026