Association between parental attitudes and self-medication of their children

The association between parental attitudes and medication administered to their children has been studied mainly regarding specific diseases and ailments, e.g. asthma, fever and pain. Little is known about how parental attitudes toward medicines in general are associated with how they medicate their children using self-medication.

The aim of this study was to identify how parental attitudes toward medicines are associated with how they medicate their children with self-medication including the use of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs).

A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted in the spring of 2007. The study sample consisted of a random sample of Finnish children under 12 years of age (n = 6,000).

A questionnaire was sent to parents, and the parent who usually takes responsibility for the child´s medication was instructed to answer the questionnaire.

The responding parent was asked to report the child's use of OTC medicines and CAMs during the preceding 2 days. The parent's attitude toward medicines was measured by 18 statements using a 5-item Likert scale.

CAM use was least likely among children whose parent had a positive view of prescription medicines. In contrast, a positive attitude toward OTC medicines by a parent was associated with both, OTC medicine and CAM use among children, whereas, parental worry about the risks of medicines predicted the use of CAMs among children.

This study showed that parental attitudes toward medicines have an impact on how they medicate their children, especially with CAMs. This finding highlights the fact that health care professionals should negotiate a child's treatment, taking into account parental views toward medicines, and previous use of self-medication.