Pharmacotherapy Literacy and Parental Practice in Use of Over-the-Counter Pediatric Medicines.

Dušanka Krajnović,Stana Ubavić,Nataša Bogavac-Stanojević

doi:10.3390/medicina55030080

Abstract

Background and objectives: Pharmaceutical literacy skills of parents are crucial for appropriate and safe medication use in pre-school children (ages 1–7 years). A recent study on pharmacotherapy literacy from Serbia showed that one in five parents have difficulty understanding common information about the use of medicines. Because antipyretics are considered to be the most frequently used group of over-the-counter (OTC) medications during the pre-school period, we aimed to: (i) examine parental practice and expectations in antipyretic medication use, and (ii) analyze associations of parental practice and expectations related to socio-economic status and pharmacotherapy literacy. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey using a self- report validated specific instrument was conducted with the parents of pre-school children in kindergartens in Belgrade, Serbia. Pharmacotherapy literacy refers to the knowledge and personal skills needed to meet the complex demands of medicine use in both healthcare and non-healthcare settings. A comprehensive literature review, expert-focus group consultation, and pre-testing were employed in 4-item multiple-choice test development to explore practice and expectations related to the use of OTC pediatric antipyretic medicines. Results: The final analytical cohort was comprised of 813 participants, the majority (63.3%) chose a medicine based on a physician’s suggestion and only 15.4% of parents reported they would follow the advice of a pharmacist. More than a half of parents (54.1%) would need advice about antipyretic medicine from a pharmacist, firstly in a simpler language. Parents satisfied with the information given by a pharmacist had higher pharmacotherapy literacy, compared to parents with lower levels (OR–0.718, 95%CI (0.597–0.865), p < 0.001). Men had a higher expectation of pharmacists to explain medicine use in a simpler language (OR–1.630, 95%CI (1.063–2.501), p = 0.025), as well as parents with three or more children (OR–2.527, 95%CI (1.43–4.459), p = 0.001). Parents with higher knowledge about medicine use were less likely to ask for simpler information (OR–0,707; 95%CI (0,583–0,856), p < 0,001). Conclusions: Our main finding is that practice in antipyretic OTC medicine use was associated with levels of parental pharmacotherapy literacy. The expectations of pharmacists were higher among parents with lower levels of pharmacotherapy literacy, who expected more information in a simpler and more precise language. This study highlighted the need for pharmacists to identify risks in parental practice and to provide information about medicines to parents of pre-school children in a simpler and more appropriate way.

Highlights

Parental pharmacotherapy literacy plays a very important role in the management of childhood illnesses, as it contributes to their future decisions, expectations, and practice with medicine use [1].Koster et al highlight that pharmacotherapy literacy is a complex concept requiring different skills in order to ensure good and safe use of medication [2], and to emphasize the need to identify patients with limited health literacy skills in order to prevent problems with the use of medicines [1]
When asked whom they would ask about which over-the-counter medicines (OTCs) antipyretic medicine to give to a child, almost all of the parents in our study (94.9%) said that they would ask a pharmacist or physician
As self-medication is becoming increasingly common and patients with limited pharmacotherapy literacy are at increased risk of medication-related problems, we have provided insight into parental pharmacotherapy literacy in Serbia and its association with parental practices and expectations about

Summary

Introduction

Parental pharmacotherapy literacy plays a very important role in the management of childhood illnesses, as it contributes to their future decisions, expectations, and practice with medicine use [1].Koster et al highlight that pharmacotherapy literacy is a complex concept requiring different skills in order to ensure good and safe use of medication [2], and to emphasize the need to identify patients with limited health literacy skills in order to prevent problems with the use of medicines [1]. Parental pharmacotherapy literacy plays a very important role in the management of childhood illnesses, as it contributes to their future decisions, expectations, and practice with medicine use [1]. In the case of medication use, pharmacotherapy literacy skills that include numeracy, literacy, and knowledge are crucial for appropriate and safe medication. Parental practice toward the use and choice of antipyretic medicines for their children plays an important role in adherence [4]. Pharmaceutical literacy skills of parents are crucial for appropriate and safe medication use in pre-school children (ages 1–7 years). A comprehensive literature review, expert-focus group consultation, and pre-testing were employed in 4-item multiple-choice test development to explore practice and expectations related to the use of OTC pediatric antipyretic medicines.

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Discussion

Conclusion