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The use of medication in infants in Alexandria, Egypt
A Zaki1, M Abdel-Fattah, A Bassili
1Medical Statistics Department, Alexandria University, Egypt.
Insights
Mothers frequently used non-prescribed medications like antispasmodics and antipyretics for infant ailments in Egypt. This study highlights potential issues with irrational drug prescribing in pediatric care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
Background:
- Infant medication use, especially non-prescribed drugs, is a significant concern in Egypt.
- Previous research has not adequately explored the determinants and rationale behind infant drug administration in this region.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide the first overview of prescribed and non-prescribed medication use in infants in Alexandria, Egypt.
- To identify the common ailments necessitating intervention and the types of non-prescribed drugs utilized.
- To detect indicators of irrational drug prescribing by healthcare professionals.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study was conducted over a one-month period in Alexandria, Egypt.
- Data was collected from mothers regarding their infants' ailments and medication use.
- Frequencies of traditional therapies, non-prescribed, and prescribed medication use were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Mothers reported ailments in 89.6% of infants requiring intervention.
- Non-prescribed medications or traditional therapies were used in 27.5% of cases.
- Antispasmodics and antipyretics were the most common non-prescribed drugs; 72.5% of infants received medical advice.
Conclusions:
- This study offers a crucial first look at non-prescribed medication use in Egyptian infants.
- Findings suggest potential trends of irrational drug prescribing and highlight the need for improved pediatric pharmacovigilance.
- Further research is warranted to understand determinants and promote rational drug use in infants.
Abstract:
In Egypt, the determinants and rationale for drug use among infants have not been previously studied. We give an overview of the use of prescribed and non-prescribed medication over a 1-month period in infants in Alexandria, Egypt. In 89.6% of cases mothers stated that their infants had suffered some ailments which necessitated intervention; 27.5% used traditional therapies or non-prescribed medication and 72.5% sought medical advice. The non-prescribed medicines used were mainly antispasmodics and antipyretics. This study provides the first overview of the frequency of use of non-prescribed medication in infants and detected some indicators of irrational drug prescribing by physicians.