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Parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices on probiotic use in preschool children in Serbia: a cross-sectional
Maja Đanić1, Nebojša Pavlović2, Tijana Ostojić3
1Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
Insights
Parental awareness of probiotics for children is low, impacting proper use and efficacy. Healthcare professionals must educate parents on probiotic benefits and selection for optimal child health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- The gut microbiome plays a vital role in children's immunity and health.
- Probiotics are increasingly used for children, but parental knowledge gaps exist.
- Lack of awareness can lead to underuse, incorrect selection, and potential safety issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding probiotic use in Serbian preschool children.
- To identify factors influencing parental understanding and attitudes toward probiotics.
- To inform healthcare professionals on improving probiotic education for parents.
Main Methods:
- An anonymous electronic survey was distributed via social media to 1,625 parents of children aged 1-7 years in Serbia.
- Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression to identify factors associated with knowledge and attitudes.
- Knowledge and attitude scores were assessed using validated scales.
Main Results:
- 62.5% of parents reported using probiotics for their children in the past year, primarily for antibiotic support (75.2%) and gastrointestinal issues (69.3%).
- Parents demonstrated limited knowledge of strain-specific effects and drug interactions, with 50% expressing doubts about efficacy.
- Higher parental education, healthcare occupation, longer probiotic use, and considering strain selection correlated with better knowledge and attitudes.
Conclusions:
- The majority of parents in Serbia have inadequate knowledge and some skepticism regarding probiotics for children.
- Parental practices reflect these knowledge and attitude gaps, potentially affecting probiotic efficacy and safety.
- Healthcare professionals and pediatricians are essential in educating parents about appropriate probiotic use, benefits, and product selection.
Introduction:
Considering the crucial role of the gut microbiome in children's immunity and overall health, there is increasing interest in the use of probiotics for children. Insufficient parental awareness may result in the underuse of probiotics in appropriate clinical situations, improper strain selection, incorrect therapy duration, and overlooking potential drug interactions, all of which can undermine their efficacy and safety. Therefore, this study aimed to assess parents' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding probiotic use in preschool-aged children in Serbia, along with the factors influencing these aspects.
Materials And Methods:
The study was conducted using an anonymous electronic survey distributed via social media to parents of children aged 1-7 years in Serbia. A binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors associated with parental knowledge and attitudes toward probiotic use.
Results:
The study included 1,625 parents. The median knowledge score of all respondents was 7.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 6-8), while the median attitude score was 26.0 (IQR: 23-29), based on their respective scales (0-10 for knowledge and 7-35 for attitude) with significant differences (p < 0.001) between parents who used probiotics for their preschool children in the past year (62.5%) and those who did not (37.5%). The most common indications for probiotic use were alongside antibiotic therapy reported by 75.2% of parents, and for gastrointestinal issues, stated by 69.3% of parents. Parents showed the least knowledge about the strain-specific effects of probiotics and their interactions with medications. Although overall attitudes were moderately positive, approximately 50% of parents expressed doubts about probiotic efficacy. Logistic regression analysis revealed that higher parental education, occupation related to health care, longer duration of probiotic use, and consideration of probiotic strain selection significantly increased the odds of having adequate knowledge and a positive attitude toward probiotics.
Conclusion:
The study revealed that the majority of parents lack adequate knowledge about probiotics and exhibit some skepticism regarding their effectiveness, which is reflected in their practical use for their children. Therefore, the role of healthcare professionals and pediatricians is crucial in educating parents about probiotics, offering guidance on their benefits, proper usage, and the selection of the most appropriate products.
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