Medication use in children from the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort aged between three months and four years
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Simone Farías-Antúnez1, Marysabel Pinto Telis Silveira1, Marlos Rodrigues Domingues1
1Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brasil.
Insights
Infant medication use is common, with prevalence decreasing with age. Self-medication increased, highlighting the need for caregiver education on proper prescription practices for young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
Background:
- Medication use is prevalent in infants, reaching up to 65% in early life.
- Excessive medication use in children may pose risks exceeding benefits.
- Understanding medication patterns in early childhood is crucial for safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe medication use patterns in children at 3, 12, 24, and 48 months of age.
- To investigate the prevalence, sources, and types of medications used by young children.
- To identify trends in prescribed versus self-medication over the first four years of life.
Main Methods:
- Standardized questionnaires were used to collect data on medication use.
- Medication use was defined as receipt of any medication within 15 days prior to interview.
- Prevalence was calculated with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) using chi-squared tests.
Main Results:
- Medication use prevalence was high: 67.2% at 3 months, decreasing to 47.2% at 48 months.
- A notable trend showed a decrease in prescribed medications and an increase in self-medication with age.
- Gastrointestinal drugs, vitamins, analgesics, anti-inflammatories, and nasal formulations were most common.
Conclusions:
- Children under four years account for over 50% of total medication and self-medication use.
- Caregiver education is essential regarding the importance of professional examination and prescription for pediatric medication use.
- Monitoring and guidance are needed to ensure safe and appropriate medication administration in early childhood.
Abstract:
Medication use is an important part of the health process and prevalence of its use among infants can reach up to 65% in their first months of life. The excessive use of medication could lead to an increase in their potential harm, surpassing their benefits. Considering this, this study aimed to describe medication use in children aged 3, 12, 24, and 48 months. Standardized questionnaires were applied to assess patterns and covariables of medication use. Medication use was investigated as an outcome and defined as the receipt of any medication within 15 days before the interview. Prevalence of medication use and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were described using chi-squared tests. Prescription source and frequency of use were also reported, along with the most frequent medication in each follow-up. Medication use prevalence was 67.2% (95%CI: 65.8; 68.6), 68.2% (95%CI: 66.8; 69.6), 52.4% (95%CI: 50.9; 54.0), 47.2% (95%CI: 45.7; 48.8), at 3, 12, 24, and 48 months, respectively. We observed a decrease in the proportion of medically prescribed medications and an increase in self-medication over the years. Drugs for gastrointestinal disorders (A03), vitamins (A11), analgesics (N02), anti-inflammatories (M01), and nasal formulations (R01) were the most frequently used medications. We found that children under four years of age comprised over 50% of the total use of medications and self-medication. These results highlight the need to warn caregivers on the importance of proper professional examination and prescription before they administer medications to children.
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