Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Sweden
Sweden: Antibiotic usage by surveillance category was 6.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
6.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day
Change on year
down 3.4%
World rank
43rd
of 46 countries
All-time high
9.49 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day
in 2016
All-time low
6.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day
in 2021
Years of data
6
2016–2021
Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Sweden, 2016–2021
Source: WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day.
Analysis
Sweden recorded 6.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day for antibiotic usage by surveillance category in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 26.3% over ten years.
That places Sweden 43rd out of 46 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Sweden, year by year
| Year | defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 9.49 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | — |
| 2017 | 9.21 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 9.01 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 8.6 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 7.24 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | -15.8% |
| 2021 | 6.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | -3.4% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 6.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day is below the median for high income countries, which is 12.57 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day, 56% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 6.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.36 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day, 57% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 9.08 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 8.6 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 9.49 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 4 |
| 2020s | 7.12 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 6.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 7.24 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 40 Hungary 7.41 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 41 Austria 7.4 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 42 Russia 7.35 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 44 Ukraine 4.59 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
- 45 Honduras 3.98 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day
- 46 Mali 3.83 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day compare
More reference data data for Sweden
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4328 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2237 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9766 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 8.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.12 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Sweden?
- Antibiotic usage by surveillance category in Sweden was 6.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2021, according to WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest antibiotic usage by surveillance category recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 9.49 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2016.
- What is the lowest antibiotic usage by surveillance category recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.99 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day in 2021.
- How does Sweden rank for antibiotic usage by surveillance category?
- Sweden ranks 43rd out of 46 countries with data for 2021.
- Is antibiotic usage by surveillance category rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Antibiotic usage by surveillance category. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total defined daily doses of AWaRe category: Access used per 1000 inhabitants per day. Access antibiotics have activity against a wide range of common pathogens and show lower resistance potential than antibiotics in the other groups.