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Factors associated with the use of antibiotics for children presenting with illnesses with fever and cough obtained from prescription and non-prescription sources: a cross-sectional study of data for 37 sub-Saharan African countries
Authors: Meklit Melaku Bezie, Zufan Alamrie Asmare, Hiwot Altaye Asebe, Afework Alemu Lombebo, Bezawit Melak Fentie, Angwach Abrham Asnake and Beminate Lemma Seifu
Source: BMC Public Health, Volume 24; DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18490-1
Topic(s): Children under five
Fever
Country: Africa
  Multiple African Countries
Published: APR 2024
Abstract: Introduction: Fever and cough in under-five children are common and predominately self-limiting illnesses. Inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics in sub-Saharan Africa is a significant public health concern. However, prescription sources and use among children with fever or cough have not been explored. Therefore, we explored the factors associated with the use of antibiotics obtained from prescription and non-prescription sources for children with illnesses associated with fever and cough. Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted based on the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from 37 sub-Saharan African countries. A total weighted sample of 18,866 under-five children who had a fever/cough and took antibiotics were considered for this study. Given the hierarchical nature of DHS data and the use of antibiotics prescribed from the formal healthcare setting (>?10%), a multilevel modified poisson regression model was fitted. Deviance was used for model comparison and the model with the lowest deviance value was chosen as the best-fitted model. Variables with p?=?0.2 in the bivariable analysis were considered for the multivariable modified poisson regression model. In the multivariable multilevel modified poisson regression model, the Adjusted Prevalence Odds Ratio (APOR) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and p-value?
Web: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-024-18490-1