Objectives: The aim was to examine the impact of socioeconomic factors on the use of systemic antibiotics during the first 2 years of life.
Methods: This was a population-based cohort study of 5024 Danish children born in 1997. The study was conducted by linking records drawn from public administrative registries. The main predictor variables were mother's education level, household income and cohabitation status. The outcome was the number of antibiotic courses (0, 1-5, > or =6) during the first 2 years of life.
Results: A total of 3273 children (65.1%) received 1-5 antibiotic courses, and 337 (6.7%) received > or =6 courses of antibiotics during the first 2 years of life. The risk of receiving > or =6 courses of antibiotics was increased in children of mothers with a low educational level (< or =10 years) compared with vocational education [OR 1.3 (95% CI 1.0-1.7)]. Children of mothers with a higher education >4 years had a reduced risk of receiving > or =6 courses [OR 0.3 (95% CI 0.1-0.7)]. Children from high-income families had a reduced risk (not statistically significant) of receiving antibiotics, compared with children from middle-income families [1-5 and > or =6 courses: adjusted OR 0.6 (95% CI 0.3-1.2)]. Children of single mothers had an increased risk of receiving antibiotics, particularly if the child did not attend day care.
Conclusions: Socioeconomic factors have some impact on antibiotic prescription in young children. Children of mothers with only basic schooling were at highest risk of receiving multiple prescriptions, whereas children of mothers with a high education, and/or high household income, had the lowest risk.