A study of antibiotic usage in acute respiratory infections in children

Abstract

Objective To study antibiotic usage pattern in acute respiratory infections (ARI) in children. Design A descriptive cross-sectional study. Setting Five medical wards of the Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo. Patients One hundred children between 2 months and 12 years with ARI. Method Data was collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Information recorded in the Bed Head Ticket was also used. Results Thirty nine children with ARI were given antibiotics prior to hospital admission. 71 children with ARI were given antibiotics after hospital admission. Only 24 children had clinical, laboratory or radiological evidence of bacterial infection. Conclusion 47% children with possibly non-bacterial ARI had been unnecessarily prescribed antibiotics in the ward setting.