Table 1.
Prevalence of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions and various types of errors compared by age groups
| Pediatrics (<15 years) n (%) 2,258 (39.3) |
Adults (≥15 years) n (%) 3,494 (60.7) |
Total N (%) 5,752 (100.0) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Inappropriate ATB prescriptions# | 1,306 (57.8) | 1,351 (38.7) | 2,657 (46.2) |
| χ2=202.848, P<0.001* | |||
| Selection error** | 29 (1.3) | 88 (2.5) | 117 (2.0) |
| χ2=10.486, P=0.001* | |||
| Frequency error** | 81 (3.6) | 159 (4.6) | 240 (4.2) |
| <Recommended | 35 (1.6) | 77 (2.2) | 112 (1.9) |
| >Recommended | 46 (2.0) | 82 (2.4) | 128 (2.3) |
| χ2=3.184, P=0.074 | |||
| Dosage error** | 649 (28.7) | 597 (17.1) | 1,246 (21.7) |
| <Recommended | 294 (13.0) | 69 (2.0) | 363 (6.3) |
| >Recommended | 355 (15.7) | 528 (15.1) | 883 (15.3) |
| χ2=109.8, P<0.001* | |||
| Duration error** | 871 (38.6) | 774 (22.2) | 1,645 (28.6) |
| <Recommended | 622 (27.5) | 459 (13.1) | 1,081 (18.8) |
| >Recommended | 249 (11.1) | 315 (9.1) | 564 (9.8) |
| χ2=181.1, P<0.001* | |||
Notes:
*
Age group difference statistically significant at P-value <0.05;
**
errors are mutually exclusive.
#
ATB prescription with at least one error. χ2, Pearson chi-square test.
Abbreviation: ATB, antibiotic.