Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41320199›Full record

ArticleBMJ global health2025

COVID-19 impact on AMR: a rapid scoping review, equity analysis and evidence gap map study.

Fiona Emdin, Ebiowei Samuel F Orubu, Susan Rogers Van Katwyk, Kayla Strong, Nicole Shaver, Kawsari Abdullah, Gideon Asamoah, Becky Skidmore, Emilie Chan, Mathieu J P Poirier

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ global health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Monitoring the Burden ofAntibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Article
  3. Persistence of non-typhoidalFrontiers in microbiology · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Fiona EmdinYork University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada fiona.emdin@globalstrategylab.org.ORCID 0000-0002-3549-0551
Ebiowei Samuel F OrubuGlobal Strategy Lab, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Susan Rogers Van KatwykGlobal Strategy Lab, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Kayla StrongGlobal Strategy Lab, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Nicole ShaverKnowledge Synthesis and Application Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-3210-8895
Kawsari AbdullahKnowledge Synthesis and Application Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Gideon AsamoahKnowledge Synthesis and Application Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Becky SkidmoreIndependent Information Specialist, Independent Information Specialist, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Emilie ChanKnowledge Synthesis and Application Unit, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Mathieu J P PoirierGlobal Strategy Lab, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-3842-0011

Funding

Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe COVID-19 pandemic is expected to have impacted many drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and compounded existing societal and health inequities. This rapid scoping review examined how three selected healthcare system factors, which we have called 'drivers'-antimicrobial use, infection prevention and control and health system use-were affected by COVID-19 and how they have impacted resistance.

methodsPeer-reviewed searches were performed in MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane on 19 December 2022 and updated on 25 February 2023 and 1 September 2023. Results of these searches were integrated with an initial search run on 19 October 2022, using the WHO COVID-19 Research Database. References of included studies were also searched to identify any additional relevant studies. Data on the three drivers from included studies were assessed to determine whether they influenced the emergence, spread or number of resistant infections due to antimicrobial-resistant organisms. Studies were then mapped to identify literature gaps and assessed for equity considerations and quality of evidence.

results63 studies were analysed. Reported COVID-19 changes to antimicrobial use were associated with increased AMR burden in hospital settings. Conversely, the infection prevention and control measures implemented to reduce COVID spread may have decreased resistance in community settings. Differences in health system use during the COVID-19 pandemic may have increased resistance, although we identified knowledge gaps on COVID-19-related changes in health system use. Few studies considered equity in their analyses and no studies directly mentioned equity. All included studies had a moderate to high risk of bias.

conclusionsCOVID-19 led to mixed effects on AMR, which depended on the setting and context. There is a need for more rigorous studies that examine how COVID-19 impacted the health system as well as socioeconomic determinants to provide evidence for future pandemics or health crises. Our findings also underscore the importance of integrating antimicrobial stewardship, robust infection prevention and equity-focused surveillance into pandemic preparedness to mitigate AMR risks in future public health emergencies.

Indexed as

COVID-19Health EquityEvidence GapsHumansPandemicsSARS-CoV-2COVID-19Global HealthHealth policies and all other topicsHealth policy

Identifiers

PMID41320199
PMCPMC12666195

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.