Antibiotic use is not uniform across countries or between regions within a country. Credit: Carlos Duarte/E+/Getty Images
A hike in gross domestic product (GDP), better education for girls and increased government spending on health have reduced antibiotic consumption in various states of India1.
People get proper medical advice from doctors at public-funded hospitals. Education enables girls to consult a doctor before buying drugs for their children's illnesses. They shun the unnecessary use of antibiotics for viral infections, says an international research team.
Scientists analysed annual private sector antibiotic consumption across Indian states from 2011 to 2019 by examining the effects of five factors — GDP, government health spending, and the rate of girls’ higher education, measles vaccinations and lower respiratory tract infections.
Annually, for every 1,000 people, a GDP increase of 1,000 rupees decreased the number of antibiotic doses by 10.2, every 1% increase in the number of girls in higher education reduced doses by 46.4, and a rise in government health spending of 1,000 rupees cut doses by 461.4.
The team, which included researchers at Boston University in the USA and the Public Health Foundation of India in New Delhi, found that GDP and government spending on health and girls’ education strongly influenced antibiotic consumption.
“Inclusion of more vaccines in national programmes will check bacterial infections, further reducing the need for antibiotics,’ says lead author Shaffi Fazaludeen Koya.
