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Use of over-the-counter analgesics in Norwegian children - a national cross-sectional study

Frøydis Enstad1, Sølvi Helseth2,3, Borghild Løyland2

  • 1Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
|March 26, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Many Norwegian children (23.7%) recently used over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Recurrent pain, bullying, and depressive symptoms were linked to this analgesic use, suggesting potential misuse.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Pharmacology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics are widely accessible for pain management.
  • Understanding patterns of OTC analgesic use in children is crucial for public health.
  • Factors influencing medication use in pediatric populations require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of recent over-the-counter (OTC) analgesic use in Norwegian children aged 10-12.
  • To explore associations between OTC analgesic use and various factors, including pain, psychological symptoms, and lifestyle.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Ungdata Junior study, a nationwide Norwegian population-based survey (N=102,919).
  • Employed logistic regression to analyze factors within (recurrent pain) and beyond (bullying, depressive symptoms, screen time) medication indications.
  • Controlled for covariates such as sleep duration, physical activity, gender, age, and socioeconomic status.

Main Results:

  • A significant proportion of children (23.7%) reported recent OTC analgesic use.
  • Recurrent headache (OR=2.93), general pain (OR=1.16), depressive symptoms (OR=1.19), and repeated bullying (OR=1.07) were significantly associated with increased OTC analgesic use.
  • Associations were found with factors both within and outside the recommended indications for analgesic use.

Conclusions:

  • Findings suggest potential misuse and overuse of OTC analgesics among children.
  • Concerns are raised regarding the use of analgesics as coping strategies for pain, bullying, and emotional distress.
  • Improved education on pain and stress management for children and parents is recommended to promote healthier behaviors.
Abstract

Keywords:
Over-the-counter analgesicsbullyingchildrendepressive symptomspopulation-based samplerecurrent pain

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