Table 2 Proportion of children and adolescents with prescriptions of antibiotics in the northern Netherlands and north-west Germany (with 95 % CI), by sex and age group

0–2 years. (n = 8,075 resp. n = 1,770)

44.5 % (43.0–46.0)

53.1 % (49.8–56.4)

41.5 % (39.9–43.1)

46.6 % (43.2–50.0)

43.1 % (42.0–44.2)

49.9 % (47.6–52.3)

3–6 years. (n = 7,464 resp. n∓3,488)

35.2 % (33.8–36.8)

56.2 % (53.9–58.5)

39.9 % (38.2–41.5)

53.3 % (50.9–55.7)

37.4 % (36.3–38.5)

54.8 % (53.2–56.5)

7–10 year. (n = 6,916 resp. n = 4,292)

19.6 % (18.3–20.9)

35.4 % (33.3–37.4)

27.7 % (26.1–29.2)

37.4 % (35.4–39.5)

23.4 % (22.4–24.4)

36.4 % (35.0–37.9)

11–13 years. (n = 5,078 resp. n = 3,733)

16.3 % (14.9–17.8)

27.7 % (25.6–29.8)

19.6 % (18.0–21.2)

28.9 % (26.9–31.0)

17.9 % (16.8–18.9)

28.3 % (26.9–29.8)

14–17 years. (n = 9,214 resp. n = 5,091)

20.7 % (19.4–22.1)

29.1 % (27.4–30.9)

25.2 % (24.0–26.3)

39.1 % (37.2–41.0)

23.4 % (22.6–24.3)

34.0 % (32.7–35.3)

Total (n = 36,747 resp. n = 18,374)

28.7 % (28.0–29.4)

37.9 % (36.9–38.9)

30.9 % (30.3–31.6)

39.9 % (38.9–40.9)

29.8 % (29.3–30.3)

38.9 % (38.2–39.6)