Patterns and Factors Associated with Self-Medication among the Pediatric Population in Romania.

Petruța Tarciuc,Ana Maria Alexandra Stanescu,Camelia Cristina Diaconu,Alina Duduciuc,Smaranda Diaconescu,Luminita Paduraru

doi:10.3390/medicina56060312

Abstract

Background and objectives: Self-medication is a global phenomenon in both developed and emerging countries. At present, data regarding the practice, patterns, and factors associated with self-medication in Romanian patient groups of various ages and health are relatively scarce. A pilot study that uses a questionnaire was conducted to observe the attitudes as well as the behaviors of a group of Romanian parents related to self-medication, specifically their beliefs and perceived risks of the administration of medicine to their children without medical advice, frequency of self-medications, symptoms, and types of medications most commonly used without medical advice. Materials and Methods: The questionnaire was sent via e-mail or WhatsApp link on a mobile phone using the existing data at the general practitioner’s office together with the protection of data form and the informed consent form; some participants completed the questionnaire when they came for a regular visit at the general practitioner’s office. Of 246 applied questionnaires, we had a rate of responses of 98%. Results: We found a high percentage (70%) of parents who self-medicate their children. The data reveals a significant relation between parents’ beliefs on self-medication and their tendency to administrate drugs to their children without medical advice. A significant relation was also found between the likelihood of parental self-medication for their children and the number of illnesses experienced by their children over the six-month period prior to the survey. Even when parents have a correct understanding of self-medication risks, these are not aligned with actual behavior; therefore, parents continue to administer drugs to their children without medical advice. Conclusions: Our study helps to describe the patterns of parents’ decisions about self-medicating their children and to identify parents who are more predisposed to administering self-medication to their children.

Highlights

Self-medication is defined as “the taking of drugs, herbs or home remedies on one’s own initiative, or on the advice of another person, without consulting a doctor” [1] or by “the use of medicinal products by the individual to treat self-recognized disorders or symptoms” [2]
The study sample comprised a total of 241 adults from various regions of Romania; their children were born in different maternity hospitals, and at the time of the study, they all lived in Bucharest together with their parents
The results revealed that, in general, respondents are aware that self-medication is undesirable and most (82%) believe that administering certain treatments to their children without a medical consult is only allowed in the case of minor symptoms

Summary

Introduction

Self-medication is defined as “the taking of drugs, herbs or home remedies on one’s own initiative, or on the advice of another person, without consulting a doctor” [1] or by “the use of medicinal products by the individual to treat self-recognized disorders or symptoms” [2]. Political, and cultural factors are responsible for the prevalence of, and increase in self-medication practices worldwide. These factors include the wide availability of drugs, improper advertising, parental education level, socioeconomic status, and access to healthcare services [2]. A pilot study that uses a questionnaire was conducted to observe the attitudes as well as the behaviors of a group of Romanian parents related to self-medication, their beliefs and perceived risks of the administration of medicine to their children without medical advice, frequency of self-medications, symptoms, and types of medications most commonly used without medical advice. The data reveals a significant relation between parents’ beliefs on self-medication and their tendency to administrate drugs to their children without medical advice. Even when parents have a correct understanding of self-medication risks, these are not aligned with actual behavior; parents continue to administer drugs to their children without medical advice

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion