Reduction in Antibiotic Use Among US Children, 1996–2000

Abstract

Background. High rates of antibiotic prescribing to children contribute to antibiotic resistance in the community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with other national and state level organizations, have actively promoted more judicious prescribing for children. Objective. We sought to assess changes in the rate of antibiotic prescribing from 1996–2000 in 9 US health plans, patterns of diagnosis and treatment responsible for these trends, and changes in the use of first-line antimicrobial agents. Design/Methods. We analyzed claims data for dispensed medications and physician visits from 9 health plans. Each provided data on 25 000 children aged 3 months to Results. From 1996–2000, antibiotic rates for children 3 months to Conclusions. Antibiotic prescribing decreased significantly between 1996 and 2000, concurrent with decreased frequency of diagnosis of potential bacterial infections, especially otitis media. Attention by public health and professional organizations and the news media to antibiotic resistance may have contributed to changes in diagnostic thresholds, resulting in more judicious prescribing.