Antibiotic prescriptions in the paediatric population in the Lazio Region of Italy: association with children's and physician's characteristics.

BACKGROUND

Estimating prevalence rates for antibacterial use in 0-14 year old children in 2009 in Lazio (Italy).

METHODS

Antibiotic prescriptions has been selected as drugs belonging to the J01 main therapeutic of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical system. Prevalence data by sex and age were calculated. The proportion of children who underwent 1, 2 or ≥ 3 treatments was calculated. Relation between use of antibiotics and incidence of influenza cases was evaluated. The association of children's and physician's characteristics with prescription was assessed by multi-level Poisson regression model.

RESULTS

45% of children received one antibiotic with a peak in the 1-2 age. Penicillins combinations and beta-lactamase inhibitors were the most frequently prescribed group. Multilevel model highlighted prescription rate decreases with doctor's increasing age, if the doctor is a paediatrician and female. Contrarily, doctors with >900 patients present higher probability to prescribe antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION: The study highlights the variability in antibiotic use and the fact that several children's and primary care doctors' characteristics are associated with antibiotic prescription. Paper findings appear to be coherent with other Italian studies but prevalence rate is definitively higher comparing to other countries.