A population-based study of antibiotic prescriptions for Danish children

Abstract

Background: The aim of the study was to examine the use of systemic and topical antibiotics in relation to age and sex in Danish children.

Methods: We used the Pharmacoepidemiological Prescription Database to identify the individual prescriptions of antibiotics provided for all 0-to 15-year-old children in North Jutland County, Denmark, during 1997. The population was approximately 95000 children.

Results: We identified 44640 prescriptions for systemic antibiotics. The annual prescription rate was highest in the 1- to 2-year-olds, with 945 prescriptions/1000 children/year. One-half of these children received at least 1 prescription, and 12% received 3 or more prescriptions. Among the 11- to 15-year-old children 17% received one or more prescriptions. Overall 88% of the prescriptions were penicillins and 10% were macrolides. In children younger than 3 years 57% of prescriptions were for broad spectrum penicillins, but in children older than 6 years penicillin V was the most frequently used antibiotic. We identified 12 661 prescriptions for topical antibiotics used in eye infections. The prescription rate peaked in the 1- to 2-year-old children, one-third of whom received at least 1 prescription.

Conclusions: Almost two-thirds of the 0- to 2-year-old children in the population were treated with either systemic or topical antibiotics during 1 year. Physicians prescribe mostly penicillins, but the proportion of broad spectrum penicillins for young children was so high, however, that enforcement of national guidelines should be reconsidered.