Antibiotic Prescribing for Canadian Preschool Children: Evidence of Overprescribing for Viral Respiratory Infections

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 29; no. 1; pp. 155 - 160
• Main Authors: Wang, Elaine E. L., Einarson, Thomas R., Kellner, James D., Conly, John M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01-07-1999; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - economics; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibiotics; Antimicrobials; Antiviral Agents - economics; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Canada; Child, Preschool; Clinical Articles; Drug Costs; Drug prescriptions; Drug Prescriptions - economics; Drug Prescriptions - standards; Drug Utilization; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Otitis media; Pediatrics; Pharyngitis; Physicians; Preschool children; Respiratory tract infections; Respiratory Tract Infections - drug therapy; Respiratory Tract Infections - virology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Virus Diseases - drug therapy; Canada; North America; America; Human; Preschool age; Costs; Upper respiratory tract; Indication; Epidemiology; Statistical study; Infection; Respiratory tract; Antibiotic; Medical prescription; Antibacterial agent; Child
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/520145

Antibiotic resistance is associated with prior receipt of antibiotics. An analysis of linked computerized databases for physician visits and antibiotic prescriptions was used to examine antibiotic prescribing for different respiratory infections in preschool children in Canada. In 1995, 64% of 61,165 children aged <5 years made 140,892 visits (mean, 3.6 visits per child) for respiratory infections; 74% of children who made visits received antibiotic prescriptions. Antibiotics were prescribed to 49% of children with upper respiratory tract infection, 18% with nasopharyngitis, 78% with pharyngitis or tonsillitis, 32% with serous otitis media, 80% with acute otitis media, 61% with sinusitis, 44% with acute laryngitis or tracheitis, and 24% with influenza. Acute otitis media accounted for 33% of all visits and 39% of all antibiotic prescriptions. The estimated Canadiandollar cost of overprescribing was $423,693, or 49% of the total cost of antibiotics ($859,893) used in this group. This population-based study confirms antibiotic overprescribing in Canada.