Sammanfattning
BACKGROUND: Overconsumption of antibiotics increases the risk of emerging antimicrobial resistance, and antibiotics may have untoward consequences for the individual in the short and long term. The early years of life are an especially vulnerable phase in which the intestinal microflora is becoming established. We aimed to study antibiotic use among children in Norway.
MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrieved data from the Norwegian Prescription Database from 2004 to 2016 for children and adolescents <18 years, and studied changes over time in the number of prescriptions for antibiotics collected from pharmacies, divided into subgroups of antibiotics, age of the child, sex and county of residence.
RESULTS: Total antibiotic use changed little from 2005 to 2012, but fell by 24 % from 2012 to 2016. Prescribing of all types decreased except for an increase in tetracyclines, and this reduction was most pronounced for macrolides. Children under three years received antibiotics significantly more often than older children. Counties with a high consumption had 47 % more prescriptions dispensed per child than counties in which consumption was low, and use of macrolides and cephalosporins was high in certain counties.
INTERPRETATION: The variation over time and between counties indicates that prescription of antibiotics can be further reduced. Information for healthcare personnel on rational use has probably restricted consumption, and information provided to the public on antibiotics may be an important intervention.