In Corsica, most antibiotics are prescribed and consumed in all regions of the country. This is what the annual report issued by the French Public Health Organization (SpF) indicates.
The national trend shows a sharp decline in consumption in 2020, especially due to the pandemic, with a clear recovery in the following year, reaching a maximum in 2022. “An increase of 16.6% compared to 2021.” The report states that.
Records for Corsica
A few days before the World Week for the Proper Use of Antibiotics, SpF notes a significant resumption of their consumption, especially among children. If prescriptions and consumption increase in 2022 at a more sustainable rate than in 2021, levels will remain generally lower than in 2019 across the country. A completely different note in Corsica. “With the exception of Corsica, consumption and prescriptions increased in 2022 more or less equally in the regions of mainland France.” We can read.
Antibiotic consumption is calculated as defined daily doses, DDJ, per 1000 population. For 2022, this index reaches 27 in Corsica compared to 21.22 in 2021 and 23.15 in 2019. Over the past ten years, the highest value for the island was 23.86 in 2016.
During the same period, at the national level, the highest level of consumption in 2012 was 27.31 in Hauts-de-France. For 2022, antibiotic consumption in Corsica is close to the national record over the past 10 years. The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region comes in second place with 25.25.
At the prescription level, the observation is identical. Corsica is far ahead with a rate of 1,058.07 prescriptions per 1,000 inhabitants for the year 2022. This is a second record for the island in this area.
Public health France
It’s still not automatic
After these results have been questioned, SpF will, from 1 December 2023, rebroadcast a communication campaign on the proper use of antibiotics, recalling in particular that “Antibiotics are only effective in cases of bacterial infections and should only be taken on medical advice.”
