Original Articles
Prescribing patterns of antibiotics for children before admission to a paediatric ward in Jaffna Teaching Hospital
Authors:
S K Arulmoli Arulmoli ,
Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians, LK
About S K Arulmoli
Acting Paediatrician, Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
S Sivachandiran,
Teaching Hospital Jaffna, LK
About S
Biometrician, Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
B J C Perera
Consultant Paediatrician, Colombo, Sri Lanka, LK
About B J C
Consultant Paediatrician, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Abstract
Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2009; 38: 121-123
(Key words: Prescribing pattern of antibiotics, children)
doi: 10.4038/sljch.v38i4.1390
Abstract
Antibiotics are commonly prescribed drugs in paediatrics. However, the threat of antibiotic resistance among children is a cause for concern. A study of the administration patterns of antibiotics prior to admission was carried out on children admitted to a paediatric ward of Teaching Hospital, Jaffna from June to August 2008, using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Descriptive and basic statistical tests were used to analyse the data. The total number of admissions to the ward was 420 out of which 227 (54%) had been given antibiotics prior to admission. Of this, 53 (23%) were infants. Of the entire cohort, oral antibiotics were given to 214 (94%) and 47 (22%) of them were given two or more antibiotics. Amoxicillin (48%), erythromycin (20%) and cephalexin (16%) were the antibiotics commonly prescribed. Sixty three percent were prescribed antibiotics by general practitioners and 16% were given antibiotics without consulting a doctor. Only 53 (23%) of the parents knew the name and the side-effects of the antibiotics used on the children. Hospital stay was significantly more for children given prior antibiotics than for those who did not have prior antibiotics (14% against 8% p less than 0.05). Other medications had been administered to 298 (71%). In order to reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance of microbes, an antibiotic policy should be carefully instituted and implemented.
How to Cite:
Arulmoli, S.K.A., Sivachandiran, S. and Perera, B.J.C., 2009. Prescribing patterns of antibiotics for children before admission to a paediatric ward in Jaffna Teaching Hospital. Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 38(4), pp.121–123. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/sljch.v38i4.1390
Published on
08 Dec 2009.
Peer Reviewed
Downloads
