title: Use and/or misuse of antibiotics in management of diarrhea among children in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diarrheal diseases are a leading cause of under-5 morbidity and mortality worldwide.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the use and/or misuse of antibiotics on children with diarrheal disease by caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational prospective study involving 210 children and their caregivers seen at the pediatric outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital between January and May 2012 was undertaken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the children was 18.07 ± 14.29 months. One hundred twenty-four (59%) were male, whereas 86 (41%) were female. Almost half of the children (46.7%) used unprescribed antibiotics during an episode of diarrhea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antibiotics are being abused in children with diarrhea and caregivers need to be educated against this urgently.
authors.affiliation: Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. uekwochi@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Uchenna
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ekwochi
authors.forename: Josephat M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chinawa
authors.forename: Ikechukwu
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Obi
authors.forename: Herbert A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Obu
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agwu
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017028:Caregivers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019468:Disease Management; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs
keywords: antibiotics; children; diarrhea