Factors associated with the use of antibiotics for children presenting with illnesses with fever and cough obtained from prescription and non-prescription sources: a cross-sectional study of data for 37 sub-Saharan African countries

A study conducted in sub-Saharan Africa found that 67.19% of children under five who had fever and cough were prescribed antibiotics from informal healthcare settings. Factors such as residing in a rural area, having a child aged 36-47 months, having maternal primary education, secondary education, middle household wealth status, exposure to news/electronic media, being from a household with two or more under-five children, and being from a household with four or more under-five children were significantly associated with taking antibiotics prescribed from formal healthcare settings. The study highlights the need to address healthcare disparities, improve access to qualified healthcare providers, promote maternal education, and empower mothers in healthcare decision-making to ensure appropriate antibiotic use in this vulnerable population. Further research and interventions are needed to optimize antibiotic prescribing practices and promote responsible antibiotic use in managing fever and cough in under-five children.