Lars E. A. Haugom, general practitioner.

PhD-candidate at Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen (UiB), Norway

UiB website

ResearchGate website

Web of Science ResearcherID: LUY-4620-2024

ORCiD:

0000-0001-7609-1082

Twitter/X: @LarsHaugom

Urinary tract infections; health care utilization and antibiotic treatment during an airborne pandemic (PANDUVI)

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced an unprecedented and enduring increase in the use of remote consultations in Norwegian primary care with unknown implications for the antibiotic treatment of UTIs.

This PhD-project will provide new knowledge about how the COVID-19 pandemic affected health care seeking behavior, antibiotic use and clinical outcomes of cystitis.

We have planned three studies:

The first study examined consultations for UTI (cystitis and pyelonephritis) and antibiotic treatment before the COVID-19 pandemic.
To examine if remote consultations for acute cystitis, compared to in-person consultations, lead to differences in antibiotic treatment or repeat contacts.
To investigate hospital admissions for pyelonephritis and correlation with preceding remote consultations for cystitis.

Disclosures

Financing provided by:

A.The Norwegian Research Fund for General Practice (AMFF), Norwegian Medical Association, stipend, 50%

B. Norwegian Surveillance System for Antimicrobial Drug Resistance (NORM), grant.

Consultation types in Norwegian primary care 2013 - 2022.

Blue line represents physical consultations, orange digital.

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a massive and sustained shift from in-person to electronic consultations. Before the pandemic, 2% of consultations were electronic. Now it is 1 in 3 consultations.

Source: Norwegian Control and Payment of Health Reimbursements Database (KUHR)

Supervisors

Main supervisor: Knut Eirik Ringheim Eliassen, Associate Professor

Assisting supervisors: Knut Erik Emberland, Associate Professor & Ingrid Keilegavlen Rebnord, Associate Professor

Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Norway

Publications

Consultations and antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infections in Norwegian primary care 2006–2015, a registry-based study
Remote vs. in-person consultations for acute cystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic; antibiotic treatment and clinical outcomes, a retrospective cohort study*
Remote consultations and pyelonephritis at the intersection between primary and secondary care, a case-control study*

*Tentative titles

Consultations and antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infections in Norwegian primary care 2006–2015, a registry-based study

Findings include a marked increase year-by-year in the proportion of physical consultations resulting in antibiotic treatment.

Nordic congress of General practice (NGCP) 2019, Aalborg, Denmark

Presenting findings from the first study.

Remote vs. in-person consultations for acute cystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic; antibiotic treatment and clinical outcomes, a retrospective cohort study

Findings not yet published

Pictured above, participation at GRIN 2024. Lars Haugom first row in green shirt.

Midway evaluation 06.11.24

Midway evaluation at the University of Bergen.