Trends in antibiotic dispensing for children in Belgian ambulatory care: time series analysis before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The aim of this study is to analyse trends in paediatric antibiotic use in Belgian ambulatory care across three COVID-19 pandemic-related periods.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective time series analysis using autoregressive integrated moving average modelling. The analysis is based on anonymized pharmacy dispensing data for antibiotics delivered to Belgian children aged 0-12 years, retrieved from Farmanet for the period from 2014 until 2023. The outcome measures were the number of packages, expenditures and DDDs. Outcomes were analysed for all antibiotics collectively and for subgroups based on patient characteristics, prescriber specialty, geographic region and antibiotic characteristics.

Results

Antibiotic use among children in Belgian ambulatory care sh

SUBMITTER: Dillen H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12305424 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature