Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the twenty-first century’s major health challenges. Linked to the extensive use of antibiotics and other antimicrobials, resistance occurs when microbes stop responding to medications. Rates of antibiotic consumption in Spain are among the highest in Europe. Drawing on research conducted in Catalonia, in this article we present findings from ethnographic fieldwork and semi-structured interviews with general practitioners, residents of Barcelona, and professionals who have worked in antibiotic stewardship. We argue that the circulation of antibiotics should be understood in relation to broader historical processes and the deficient systems of health and social care provision they have produced.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 682-696 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Medical Anthropology |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| Early online date | 25 Sept 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 25 Sept 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We acknowledge support from Wellcome Trust through Seed Award [210359/Z/18/Z], “Regulating resistance, resisting regulation: New regimes to tackle drug-resistant infections in European and Asian healthcare systems.” AB conducted the fieldwork on which this article is based and drafted the manuscript. HL and AB conceptualized and designed the study. HL and CR contributed to the analysis of data and to extensive revision of article drafts. We thank those who participated in the research and Carles Llor, IDIAP Jordi Gol, Stella Christou and Eduard Ballesté-Istern for their contributions to the project. This research was approved by IDIAP Jordi Gol Clinical Research Ethics Committee. The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.