Changes in Antiviral Prescribing for Children With Influenza in US Emergency Departments

Did influenza antiviral prescribing for influenza-positive children at higher risk of severe illness in the emergency department (ED) change from 2016 to 2023, and what factors are associated with prescribing?In this cross-sectional study of 2514 children at higher risk for severe influenza in the ED, 32.2% received antiviral prescriptions before the COVID-19 pandemic (2016-2020) vs 15.6% in the late pandemic period (2021-2023). Antivirals were more commonly prescribed to children presenting within 2 days of symptom onset and among those who received clinical influenza testing.These findings demonstrate a decline in prescribing despite unchanged treatment guidelines, highlighting opportunities to improve practice.

Corresponding Author: Tess Stopczynski, MS, Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2525 West End Ave, Ste 1020, Nashville, TN 37203 (tess.stopczynski@vumc.org).

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