Antibiotic use without prescription among children aged under 5 years in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the prevalence of antibiotic use without prescription among children under 5 in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The review included 12 cross-sectional studies with a combined sample size of 8773 participants. The pooled prevalence was 33.27%, with high heterogeneity. The study found that the prevalence was higher in Africa (39.85%) than in South America (28.59%). The findings suggest that the World Health Organization (WHO) and nations should develop strategies to improve the regulatory system in LMICs and prevent antibiotic use without prescription among under-5 children.