Non-prescription antibiotic use for cough among Chinese children under 5 years of age: a community-based cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the non-prescription use of antibiotics for cough among children under 5 years in China.DesignA community-based cross-sectional survey.SettingA face-to-face interview based on a standard questionnaire in the community from October to December 2019.ParticipantsA total of 3102 children under 5 years of age were enrolled with probability proportionate to size sampling method. The children’s caregivers provided the responses as their agents.Outcome measuresCough in the past month, non-prescription use of antibiotics after cough.Results1211 of 3102 children were reported to have a cough in the past month. Of these, 40.2% (487/1211) were medicated with antibiotics, and 18.7% (91/487) of these were not prescribed. Cephalosporins were the most frequently used antibiotic (52.8%), and community pharmacies were the main source (53.7%). Children who coughed for 1–2 weeks (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.90) or 3–4 weeks (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.08 to 4.97), with runny nose (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.19) or those whose family annual income between ¥50 000 and ¥100 000 (OR 4.44, 95% CI 1.52 to 18.95) had a higher risk of non-prescription use of antibiotics than those coughing for