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[Use of antibiotics among Danish children in 1998. Consumption on a national basis]
H L Johansen1, J M Kampmann, B K Ingvardsen
1hjo@dkma.dk
Insights
Antibiotic use was high among Danish children in 1998, with 33% receiving prescriptions. Younger children, especially 1-year-olds, were more likely to receive broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious disease epidemiology
- Antimicrobial stewardship
Context:
- Antibiotic prescribing patterns in pediatric populations are crucial for public health.
- Understanding age-specific antibiotic utilization informs targeted interventions.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the patterns and trends of antibiotic (AB) use in Danish children aged 0-15 years during 1998.
- To analyze age-related differences in antibiotic prescribing, including the use of broad-spectrum agents.
Summary:
- A comprehensive analysis of 585,491 antibiotic prescriptions for 331,979 Danish children in 1998 revealed that 33% received at least one prescription.
- Antibiotic use was significantly higher in younger children, with a one-year prevalence of 63.2% for 1-year-olds compared to 18.3% for 12-year-olds.
- General practitioners issued 83% of all antibiotic prescriptions, and younger children were more frequently prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Impact:
- Findings highlight a notable trend of increased antibiotic prescribing in younger pediatric populations, particularly broad-spectrum agents.
- This study provides essential data for developing targeted antimicrobial stewardship programs to optimize antibiotic use in children.
- Results underscore the need for continued surveillance of antibiotic prescribing practices in pediatric populations to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Abstract:
The aim was to evaluate the use of antibiotics (AB) among Danish children in 1998. Patient specific data was collected on antibacterials for systemic use (ATC-group J01) prescribed for children aged 0-15 years in 1998. Data included a total of 585,491 prescriptions for 331,979 individuals. AB were prescribed for 33% of all Danish children on one or several occasions in 1998. Younger children were more likely to be treated with AB than older children. The one-year-prevalence of the use of AB was 63.2% for the 1-year-olds and 18.3% for 12-year-old children in 1998. The type of AB used varied with age, with younger children more prone to receive broad-spectrum AB. Eighty-three percent of all AB-prescriptions were prescribed by general practitioners. It is concluded, that AB, especially the broad-spectrum AB, are more often prescribed for younger than for older children and adults in Denmark in 1998.