ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of anti-asthmatics among Danish children in 1998. METHODS: Patient specific data were collected on anti-asthmatics (ATC-group R03) prescribed for children aged 0-15 years in 1998. Data included a total of 381,557 prescriptions for 139,727 individuals. RESULTS: Anti-asthmatics were prescribed for 13.9% of all Danish children on one or several occasions in 1998. The highest one-year prevalence and incidence rate of drug use was found for children aged 0-2 years. Most children were exclusively treated with either a short acting beta 2-agonist (66.7%) or an inhaled steroid (6.5%). Only 26.2% received both types of anti-asthmatics. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, anti-asthmatics were predominantly prescribed for the youngest children. Most children were exclusively treated with a short acting beta 2-agonist in 1998, which is only recommended in the case of mild intermittent asthma.
Subject(s)
Anti-Asthmatic Agents/administration & dosage , Administration, Inhalation , Adolescent , Adrenergic beta-Agonists/administration & dosage , Asthma/drug therapy , Asthma/epidemiology , Bronchodilator Agents/administration & dosage , Child , Child, Preschool , Denmark/epidemiology , Drug Prescriptions/statistics & numerical data , Drug Utilization/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Incidence , Infant , Male , RegistriesABSTRACT
The aim was to evaluate the use of antibiotics (AB) among Danish children in 1998. Patient specific data was collected on antibacterials for systemic use (ATC-group J01) prescribed for children aged 0-15 years in 1998. Data included a total of 585,491 prescriptions for 331,979 individuals. AB were prescribed for 33% of all Danish children on one or several occasions in 1998. Younger children were more likely to be treated with AB than older children. The one-year-prevalence of the use of AB was 63.2% for the 1-year-olds and 18.3% for 12-year-old children in 1998. The type of AB used varied with age, with younger children more prone to receive broad-spectrum AB. Eighty-three percent of all AB-prescriptions were prescribed by general practitioners. It is concluded, that AB, especially the broad-spectrum AB, are more often prescribed for younger than for older children and adults in Denmark in 1998.
