Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Protocol for Relative Hydrodynamic Assessment of Tri-leaflet Polymer Valves
11:12

Protocol for Relative Hydrodynamic Assessment of Tri-leaflet Polymer Valves

Published on: October 17, 2013

14.2K

Pediatric Medication Prescribing Across Urgent Care Visits: An Epidemiologic View from a Primary Care Setting in the

Reem S AlOmar1, Nouf A AlShamlan1, Ahmed A Al Yateem2

  • 1Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31451, Saudi Arabia.

Medical Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 22, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric urgent care visits in Saudi Arabia primarily involve respiratory and ENT conditions. Most prescriptions included antibiotics, with higher rates in adolescents and lower rates in infants, highlighting needs for better surveillance and resource planning.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric healthcare
  • Primary healthcare
  • Urgent care medicine

Background:

  • Urgent care clinics (UCCs) in primary healthcare (PHC) manage pediatric acute conditions.
  • Data on pediatric prescribing patterns, especially antibiotic use, in Saudi Arabia (KSA) are scarce.
  • This study addresses the lack of data on pediatric urgent care visits and prescribing in KSA.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the epidemiology of pediatric urgent care visits.
  • To identify factors associated with medication prescribing in pediatric urgent care.
  • To analyze antibiotic prescribing patterns in pediatric urgent care within a KSA PHC setting.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart review of pediatric urgent care visits (<14 years) at a model PHC center in KSA during 2024.
  • Extraction of sociodemographic data, visit timing, diagnoses, and prescription information from electronic health records.
  • Multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine predictors of medication prescribing.

Main Results:

  • 62.5% of 1016 pediatric urgent care visits resulted in prescriptions; 23.62% included antibiotics (primarily penicillins).
  • Adolescents were 67% more likely to receive prescriptions, while infants were 70% less likely compared to school-aged children.
  • Respiratory and ENT diagnoses were the most common reasons for prescriptions; no significant sex-based prescribing differences were found.

Conclusions:

  • Respiratory and ENT conditions, alongside seasonal variations (autumn/winter), drive prescribing in pediatric urgent care.
  • Findings support enhanced disease surveillance, demand forecasting, and preventive strategies like vaccination and health education.
  • Evidence-based planning for PHC resources is crucial for optimizing pediatric urgent care services.

Keywords:
antibioticsepidemiologypediatricsprescriptionsprimary carepublic healthurgent care

More Related Videos

The Slice Culture Method for Following Development of Tooth Germs In Explant Culture07:47

The Slice Culture Method for Following Development of Tooth Germs In Explant Culture

Published on: November 13, 2013

14.6K

Related Concept Videos

Primary Healthcare Services01:30

Primary Healthcare Services

Primary care promotes wellness and prevents disease. This care includes health promotion, education, protection (such as immunizations), early disease screening, and environmental considerations. Settings providing this type of healthcare include physician offices, public health clinics, school nursing, and community health nursing.
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight, compared...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...