Antibiotic use in the management of children with the common cold at a provincial hospital in Papua New Guinea: a point-prevalence study.

Background: Antibiotic prescribing for self-limiting viral infections such as the common cold or viral upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is irrational and increases the risk of antibiotic resistance. However, such a practice is widespread and is likely to be as common in Papua New Guinea as in many other countries.

Methods: In a cross-sectional descriptive study, children were recruited who had been diagnosed with a common cold or URTI by attending clinical staff-mostly nurses-in a provincial hospital's children's outpatient department using a standard definition.