THE PROBLEM OF UNJUSTIFIED ANTIBIOTIC PRESCRIBING IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE RESPIRATORY VIRAL INFECTIONS

Acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) remain the leading driver of unjustified antibacterial prescribing in paediatric practice. The aim of the study was to assess antibiotic prescribing practice in children with ARVI at the primary care level and to identify factors associated with inappropriate prescribing. A retrospective analysis of 412 outpatient records of children aged 0–14 years attending family polyclinics of Termez city was performed, complemented by an anonymous survey of 120 parents and 45 physicians. Antibacterial agents were prescribed to 64.8% of children; 80.9% of these prescriptions (52.4% of the whole sample) were classified as unjustified according to international criteria. The “Watch” group of the WHO AWaRe classification accounted for 64.4% of prescriptions and the parenteral route for 27.7%. Independent predictors of unjustified prescribing were parental demand (OR=4.15), fever lasting more than 3 days (OR=3.42), purulent rhinorrhoea (OR=2.88) and the absence of C-reactive protein testing (OR=2.73). The findings substantiate the need to implement antimicrobial stewardship programmes, expand point-of-care diagnostics and improve communication with parents.