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A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
06:59

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings

Published on: November 9, 2016

Nonprescription drug use among hospitalized pediatric patients

B G Bryant, H L Mason

    American Journal of Hospital Pharmacy
    |October 1, 1983
    PubMed

    Insights

    Most parents use nonprescription drugs for children without seeking advice. Professional recommendations, especially from physicians and pharmacists, significantly influence product selection for pediatric self-medication.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric medicine
    • Pharmacology
    • Public health

    Background:

    • Self-medication with nonprescription drugs is common in pediatric care.
    • Parental decision-making regarding pediatric medication is crucial for child safety.
    • Understanding factors influencing nonprescription drug selection is vital for healthcare providers.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate parental practices and decision-making processes for nonprescription drug use in children.
    • To identify key influences and information sources guiding parents in selecting pediatric nonprescription medications.
    • To assess the role of healthcare professionals versus other media in parental choices.

    Main Methods:

    • A questionnaire was administered to parents of 200 hospitalized pediatric patients.
    • Data collected included nonprescription drug use patterns, advice-seeking behaviors, and product selection factors.
    • 160 questionnaires were returned and analyzed.

    Main Results:

    • Nearly all children (97.5%) received nonprescription medication from parents before hospitalization.
    • Only 21% of parents routinely sought advice before self-medicating their children.
    • Physician recommendations were the most influential factor, followed by pharmacists and other healthcare professionals, surpassing media advertisements.

    Conclusions:

    • Parental self-medication of children is widespread, often without professional consultation.
    • Healthcare professionals, particularly physicians and pharmacists, are key influencers in nonprescription drug selection.
    • Pharmacists should enhance their role in guiding parents on appropriate pediatric self-medication choices.

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