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Published on: November 17, 2018
Parental perception of antibiotic use in children at home: a cross-sectional study
Glaubervania Alves Lima1, Francisca Elisângela Teixeira Lima1, Luis Angel Cendejas Medina2
1Universidade Federal do Ceará. Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Insights
Parental understanding of antibiotic use in children is linked to education and income. Lower socioeconomic status correlates with less knowledge and adherence to correct antibiotic administration at home.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern.
- Understanding parental perceptions of antibiotic use is crucial for promoting appropriate medication practices in children.
- Sociodemographic factors may influence parental knowledge and behaviors regarding antibiotic administration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate parental perceptions of factors affecting children's home antibiotic use.
- To examine the relationship between these perceptions and children's sociodemographic characteristics.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive, cross-sectional study involving 209 parents of children under 12 using home antibiotics.
- Data collected via sociodemographic/clinical instrument and Parental Perception on Antibiotics Scale.
- Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman tests.
Main Results:
- Mothers constituted the majority of participants (90.9%).
- Parents with elementary education and low income reported higher scores in knowledge, beliefs, behaviors, and adherence, indicating poorer understanding of antibiotic use.
- Lower socioeconomic status was associated with less accurate perceptions of antibiotic use.
Conclusions:
- Parental perception of factors influencing antibiotic administration in children is directly linked to correct medication use.
- Sociodemographic factors significantly impact parental understanding and practices related to children's antibiotic use.
- Interventions targeting parental education, particularly for lower socioeconomic groups, may improve appropriate antibiotic stewardship at home.
Objectives:
to assess parental perception of the factors influencing their children's antibiotic use at home and to determine the association with sociodemographic characteristics.
Methods:
a descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 209 parents of children under 12 years of age who used antibiotics at home. A sociodemographic and clinical characterization instrument and the Parental Perception on Antibiotics Scale were administered. The Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman tests were used for data analysis.
Results:
most participants were mothers (90.9%). Parents with elementary education and income below the minimum wage had higher medians in the scale factors 1- Knowledge and beliefs, 2- Behaviors, and 3- Adherence, indicating less understanding of the correct use of antibiotics.
Conclusions:
parental perception of the factors that influence antibiotic administration to children at home is directly associated with the correct use of medication and sociodemographic factors.
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Health Perception Patterns
Health perception patterns offer valuable insights into a patient's lifestyle habits and how they may impact their GI health. These patterns include:
01:30Development of Antibiotic Resistance