Antibiotic Prescribing Treatment for Acute Gastroenteritis and Respiratory Illnesses among Children in Al-Bayda, Libya: A Cross-sectional Descriptive Study

• Nusieba A. M. Ibrahim

  Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Libya

  Author

• Yahya S. E. Mansour

  Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, Libya

  Author

Acute gastroenteritis and respiratory illnesses pose substantial morbidity and mortality risks among children under the age of 10. This investigation aimed to assess the prescribing patterns of antibiotics in managing respiratory illnesses and acute gastroenteritis in children. Employing a descriptive, cross-sectional design, data were collected over 6 months from the pediatric unit at Al-Jamee Hospital in Albayda, Libya. Children under 10 years old presenting with symptoms indicative of cough, cold, and diarrhea were included. Patient records were scrutinized for data retrieval, and statistical analyses were conducted utilizing frequencies, percentages, and student t-tests, with significance set at P < 0.05. The study encompassed 100 patients with a mean age of 7.6 ± 0.8 years. Predominantly, admissions were prompted by fever (30.5%) and cough or cold symptoms (15.7%). Notably, antibiotic prescriptions exhibited higher appropriateness rates in cases of diarrhea (75.5%; P < 0.05). Ceftriaxone (59.5%) and ampicillin (32.4%) emerged as the most frequently prescribed antibiotics. Furthermore, the seniority of the prescriber significantly correlated with prescription appropriateness (P < 0.05). The investigation revealed a notable propensity for antibiotic utilization during the management of cough, cold, and diarrhea in pediatric patients in Albayda, Libya.

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