Antibiotics use in children: Practice predictors among mothers of under–fives

In the developing countries, drug administration in children under the age of five is a task mostly undertaken by mothers. Parental practices in the use of antibiotics   in children can determine the extent of the therapeutic benefit and the development of resistance. This study investigated mothers’ practices on use of antibiotics in children and determined the possible socio-demographic predictors of good practice. Mothers of at least a child under the age of five were interviewed to determine their use of antibiotics in children and summary and inferential statistical analysis were conducted. Of the 313 mothers interviewed, 119(38%) had overall poor practice. One hundred and eighty-eight (60.1%) used antibiotics when their children had catarrh and sore throats, 195(62.3%) stopped giving antibiotics when their children felt better before completing the dose, 260(83.1%) saved some antibiotics at home in case of future use, 126(40.3%) gave antibiotics without the doctor’s prescription. Older mothers had a greater likelihood to save some antibiotics at home in case of future use, OR=1.087,95%CI-1.016-1.163,  increasing age of first child decreases the odds of requesting antibiotics from the doctor OR=0.989, 95% CI:0.981-0.997 while increasing number of children had almost a two-fold increase on the likelihood to request for antibiotics, OR=1.624,95% CI=1.05-2.386. Attaining a tertiary level of education had over a two-fold (OR=2.337, 95% CI=1.063-5.137) and a three-fold (OR=3.262,95% CI= 1.566-6.802) increase on the odds of giving antibiotics to a child without a doctor’s advice and reading information leaflets respectively. There was a significant difference between self- perceived practice level and actual practice level (P=0.01). A good proportion of mothers had less than adequate antibiotics practice levels and some demographic factors predicted practice. Advocacy should be employed to improve practices associated with antibiotics use in children in the developing countries.