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Antibiotic prescription among children with common cold at a district hospital in Uganda
Brenda Tusubira1, Lillian N Mukisa, Vicent Okuuny
1Department of Family Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala. btusubira@gmail.com.
Insights
Antibiotic prescriptions for common colds in children under five are common in Uganda, with over 23% receiving them. Longer symptom duration and care by a clinical officer were linked to these inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Viral infections are the primary cause of childhood illnesses, rendering antibiotics unnecessary.
- Antibiotics are frequently prescribed for childhood infections, contributing to antibiotic resistance.
- Inappropriate antibiotic use is a significant driver of antimicrobial resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions for children under five with the common cold.
- To identify factors associated with antibiotic prescription in this demographic.
- To inform antibiotic stewardship initiatives in primary care.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted at Tororo General Hospital, Uganda.
- Data were collected from children under five with common colds using a structured questionnaire.
- Statistical analysis included bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to identify associated factors.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions for common colds in children under five was 23.3%.
- Factors associated with antibiotic prescription included symptom duration exceeding five days (OR, 4.49) and care by a clinical officer (OR, 0.19).
- These findings highlight potential areas for intervention in antibiotic prescribing practices.
Conclusions:
- Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for common colds in children is prevalent at Tororo General Hospital.
- Antibiotic stewardship programs are essential to optimize antibiotic use in primary care settings.
- The study provides data for developing targeted interventions to promote judicious antibiotic use.
Background:
Most childhood infections are of viral origin making antibiotics unnecessary. They are, however, the most frequently prescribed drugs dispensed to children, resulting in inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions, which are one of the main drivers of antibiotic resistance.
Aim:
The study aimed to determine the prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions and identify its associated factors among children below 5 years with common cold who attend the outpatient department in Tororo General Hospital.
Setting:
The study was carried out in Tororo General Hospital, Eastern Uganda.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey using consecutive sampling was performed among children below 5 years with common cold attending the outpatient department. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered, structured questionnaire and analysed using STATA version 14.0. Prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions was calculated. Bivariate analysis using chi-square test and multivariate analysis using logistic regression was performed to establish factors associated with antibiotic prescription.
Results:
The prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions for common cold among children below 5 years was 23.3%. Factors associated with antibiotic prescription for common cold were duration of symptoms of more than 5 days (OR, 95% CI: 4.49; 1.16-17.23, p = 0.029) and being attended to by a clinical officer (OR, 95% CI: 0.19; 0.04-0.91, p = 0.038).
Conclusion:
There is inappropriate antibiotic prescription among children with common cold in Tororo General Hospital. There is need for antibiotic stewardship programmes to promote optimal antibiotic use in primary care facilities.Contribution: The study's findings can be used to develop context-specific antibiotic stewardship programmes tailored to promote judicious use of antibiotics in primary care.
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