Surveillance Study in Collaboration with a University-Daycare Center for Elderly People and Nursery School for Children on the Use of Over-the-Counter Drugs and Health Food in Fukuyama

Abstract

To estimate the extent of use of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and health food, we administered a questionnaire to the parents of children in a nursery school and to elderly people in a daycare center in Fukuyama city. The aim of the questionnaire was to determine the percentage of children and elderly people who use OTC drugs and health food, the purpose of using them, and the types of OTC drugs and health food used. Other questions concerned the person advising them on the use of OTC and health food, the side effects of OTC drugs and health food, and the awareness of children and elderly people regarding possible interactions between prescription drugs and OTC drugs. In children, the most frequently consumed OTC drugs were cold medicines (32.1%), followed by topical creams (22.6%) and eye lotion (14.3%). In elderly people, the most frequently consumed OTC products were eye lotion (18.0%), followed by laxatives (14.8%) and fomentation agents (13.1%). The purchase ratio of health food for children and elderly people were 4.8% and 11.5%, respectively. These results suggest that the need for OTC drugs and health food in children are very different from those in elderly people. In addition, in promoting self-medication, the demand for the opinion of a specialist occupied about 80% or 70% of the total specialist time among children and elderly people, respectively. Therefore, when providing information on health food and OTC drugs, the needs of each generation should be taken into account. The information obtained from the responses received will allow us to provide better pharmaceutical care for both children and elderly people in Fukuyama city.