THỰC TRẠNG SỬ DỤNG KHÁNG SINH TRƯỚC KHI NHẬP VIỆN Ở TRẺ EM MẮC VIÊM PHỔI CỘNG ĐỒNG

Abstract

Objective: To describe the current status of pre-hospital antibiotic use in children with community-acquired pneumonia and the factors associated with non-prescription antibiotic use at Saint Paul General Hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 428 children aged 2 to under 60 months who were diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia and admitted for inpatient treatment at Saint Paul General Hospital from August 2023 to August 2024. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with caregivers at hospital admission and analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Results: The proportion of children who had received antibiotics prior to hospital admission was 49.1%, of whom 30% had taken antibiotics without a prescription. Among children who used non-prescription antibiotics, 79.4% were inappropriate (wrong drug, incorrect dosage, or irrational drug combinations). Factors associated with increased risk of non-prescription antibiotic use included living in rural areas, being age group from 12 to under 60 months and having a caregiver with an education level of high school or below. Conclusion: Inappropriate antibiotic use, particularly non-prescription use, remains relatively common. To reduce self-medication with antibiotics in children, it is essential to strengthen public health education and enhance regulatory control over antibiotic prescribing in the community.