Self-medication In Children Research Articles

Prevalence and Determinants of the Use of Antibiotics by Self-Medication in the Pediatric Population in Oujda, Morocco.

Antibiotic resistancedriven by antibiotic self-medication and inappropriate use of antibioticsis a growing global health threat. Our study aimed to describe parents' self-medication practices with antibiotics, determine the factors favoring their use in the pediatric population, and assess parents' knowledge of the role of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance. We conducted a cross-sectional study over two months (September and October 2023). Data collection was performed using a questionnaire-guided interview. We included 460 parents of children consulting or hospitalized in the Pediatric Department of the University Hospital Mohammed VI in Oujda, Morocco. A total of 62% of parents questioned were mothers.Self-medication with antibiotics was noted in 313 families (68%). Parents used antibiotics mainly to treat cough (43%) and fever (24%).Betalactams were the antibiotic class most used by parents (72%). Information on dosageand methods of antibiotic administration was provided by pharmacy staff but was not respected by most parents (78%).Efficacy of treatment (58%), saving consultation costs and time (47%), and the ease of obtaining treatment without a prescription (42%) were reported in the majority of cases as reasons for using antibiotics by self-medication. In our context, the probability of self-medicating with antibiotics in the pediatric population is increased by female gender (OR=1.04), low level of education (OR=1.02), low socio-economic status (OR=1.09), and buying antibiotics without a prescription (OR=1.22). Although antibiotic self-medication in children is a worldwide phenomenon, influenced by several geographical, cultural, and economic factors, there is an urgent need to promote a global health strategy.

Perception and practice of self-medication by parents on their children: A study carried out in the saint joseph health area of Kisangani (The democratic republic of Congo)

Introduction: Self-medication is a major public health problem in view of the risks involved, such as therapeutic failures and the emergence of multi-resistant bacteria. The aim of the study is to demonstrate how self-medication of children is perceived by parents living in the Saint Joseph Health Area, to identify the satisfaction that parents derive from self-medication, to determine the way in which these parents self-medicate their children, and to present what parents can expect from self-medication. Methodology: This was a qualitative, phenomenological study based on free, face-to-face interviews. It concerned 4 mothers found in pre-school consultations at the Saint Joseph Reference Health Centre from June 15 to 30, 2023. Results: With regard to perception, the respondents had demonstrated the significance of self-medication, the determining factors, and their experience on this subject by often resorting to old prescriptions and medicine leaflets. Low income and the time it takes to get to the hospital were the determining factors. The respondents found self-medication satisfying. They were aware of the dangers and risks associated with self-medication. Risk prevention consisted of giving the child palm oil and skimmed milk. Their expectation of self-medicating was always to be cured. Conclusion: Self-medication in Kisangani is a real phenomenon, with the majority of parents practicing it for themselves and their children due to a lack of financial means, as medical care is expensive. Free medical care would be one way of combating this practice.

Self-medication of adults and children in Poland - results from outpatient health care physicians online questionnaire.

Introduction: In Poland, the area of self-medication requires scientific and organizational evaluation. So far, no solutions sanctioning self-medication have been introduced. Therefore, the aim of this study was to recognize and analyze the practical experience of outpatient physicians regarding self-medication of their patients, as well as self-medication of children by their caregivers. Methods: This study enrolled 386 participants and used a Computer-Assisted Web Interview that was disseminated online from 4th of July 2023 to 23rd of August 2023. The survey was addressed to outpatient healthcare physicians working in Poland. Results: In doctors' perspective the main three reasons for choosing self-medication in Poland were: taking advice from other people - family members or friends (59.1%), finding information regarding treatment online (52.9%) and ability to self-medicate in this kind of symptoms/disease (51.6%). Among adult patients, in 72.1% of cases, an independent decision to start antibiotic therapy was made. Such a decision occurred in 39.8% of pediatric patients. Children caregivers were more likely to visit the physician immediately with symptoms than in the case of adult patients (42.2% vs. 22.1%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Self-medication in Poland requires educational and organizational support at various levels - both social (information campaigns, school education), the healthcare system (increasing the role of medical professionals, including pharmacists), and finally in the area of legislation. Two areas seem to be particularly alarming - the use of antibiotics by adults and children and the mental health of both populations.

Primary Caregiver Knowledge about Self-Medication of Antibiotics in Children Aged 0-12 Years.

Globally, it is estimated that more than 50% of antibiotics are obtained without a prescription. The main purpose of this study is to determine the knowledge and practice of primary caregivers about self-medication in children with antibiotics, as studies on self-medication is lacking in India, also, it will help is assessing parents' knowledge and attitude towards self medication. This cross-sectional study conducted in the urban community of Shastri Nagar, Patna, aimed to evaluated antibiotic use in children aged 0-12. From January 2023 to March 2023, 173 caregivers were randomly selected through house visits. Data collection used a pre-tested questionnaire, ensuring confidentiality. In this study of 173 participants, caregivers in an urban community demonstrated varying knowledge regarding antibiotic use in children. Mothers and post-graduates possessed better awareness of antibiotic consequences. Fathers exhibited better understanding of side effects. Knowledge on antibiotics' action was seen among mothers, those aged 30-39, with family income of Rs. 20,000-40,000 and those with family members in medical field. Fathers had more incorrect beliefs about antibiotics treating viral infections. Common conditions for self-medication included cough/cold, fever and diarrhea, with hospitals being the primary source of antibiotics. Majority obtained information from pharmacies but awareness about antibiotic course completion and versatility was limited. Caregivers' antibiotic knowledge varied; mothers and post-graduates were more aware, while fathers understood side effects better.

Parents’ behaviour toward antibiotic self-medication in children and incidence of resistance: a cross-sectional study from Punjab, Pakistan

Parents’ behaviour toward antibiotic self-medication in children and incidence of resistance: a cross-sectional study from Punjab, Pakistan

Development and Validation of Questionnaire to Measure Parents' Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice on Self-Medication of Children with Antibiotics in Bandung, Indonesia.

This study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire to measure the knowledge, attitude, and practice of parents regarding antibiotic use in Indonesian children using structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. The instrument development process was conducted from January 5 to 19, 2023, using the following steps: 1) literature review and item development, 2) internal review and refinement, 3) structural model analysis, and 4) measurement models' reliability and validity. A convenience sample was used to recruit parents as participants from Arcamanik District, Bandung, Indonesia. A total of 83 respondents completed the on-site interview questionnaire. Furthermore, statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Version 21.0 and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) Version 26.0. The content validity for the scales was over 50%, and the reliabilities for the 38 items of the questionnaire were above 0.6, respectively. The suitability of the model was assessed, and the findings showed parameters for indicators: chi-square = 0.0004, CFI = 0.977, RMSEA = 0.044, CMIN/DF = 1.162, AGFI = 0.651, TLI = 0.973, and NFI = 0.860. The GFI parameter did not fit with the output value of 0.718, while the convergent and divergent validity of scores provided evidence in the expected direction. This psychometric development study provides preliminary evidence that the 38-item scales were reliable and valid for assessing knowledge, attitude, and practice toward parents in the self-medication of antibiotics in children.

The Role of Uncertainty and Negative Emotion in Chinese Parents' Self-Medication of Children with Antibiotics.

Parents self-medicating their children with antibiotics (SMA) without consulting healthcare professionals is a common practice in China. Previous research has focused primarily on examining the socioeconomic factors that contribute to the prevalence of SMA. This study adopts and extends the theory of planned behavior to understand the cognitive and emotional factors that are associated with parental SMA in China. The responses to an online survey were collected from 961 parents of children aged 6-12 years old, primarily from Gansu, Shandong, and Shaanxi provinces. More than half of the participants (66.5%) engaged in parental SMA. Amoxicillin, Cephradine, and Azithromycin were the most frequently selected antibiotics used for children. Structural equation modeling showed that uncertainty was positively associated with negative emotions, which were in turn positively associated with attitude toward SMA. Uncertainty was also negatively associated with perceived behavioral control (PBC), but the association between PBC and SMA behavior was not significant. Attitude and subjective norm were both positively associated with SMA behavior. The relationship between subjective norm and attitude was also positive. Understanding the psychological factors driving parental SMA may inform tailored interventions to promote responsible antibiotic use among parents.

TINGKAT PENGETAHUAN IBU TENTANG SWAMEDIKASI DIARE ANAK DI PLUMBUNGAN DESA DUKUH KECAMATAN BANYUDONO KABUPATEN BOYOLALI

Diarrhea is a condition in which a person defecates mushy or liquid consistency, can be water only and the frequency is more (usually three or more) in a day. Improper handling and treatment of diarrhea can cause complications such as dehydration and malnutrition. This final project aims to measure the level of knowledge of mothers about diarrhea self-medication in children in Plumbungan, Dukuh Village, Boyolali Regency. This study is a quantitative descriptive research method with cross sectional data collection. The sampling total 42 samples were used for the sampling method. Retrieval of research data by filling out a questionnaire As a results the characteristics of respondents at the age of 26-35 years were mostly 45%. The most dominant last education was high school as much as 69%, and the most jobs were as housewives (IRT) as much as 43%. Mother's level of knowledge about diarrhea is categorized as good as much as 69%, sufficient category as much as 31%. The good level of self-medication behavior in children with diarrhea is 90%, 10% is sufficient. Overall, the average level of knowledge of mothers shows that mothers have good knowledge and behavior in dealing with children with diarrhea

Automedicación en niños con enfermedades de vías respiratorias altas en un centro materno infantil en Perú

Introduction: Self-medication is a common practice to alleviate symptoms of various diseases, in the child population such as pharyngitis and rhinopharyngitis that are common in health centers in Peru. Objective: To determine the factors associated with self-medication in children with upper respiratory tract diseases. Material and methods: Analytical cross-sectional observational study. The sample size was 206 parents who went with their children to the Emergency service. A questionnaire approved by Valenzuela M was used. and the SPSS program to find the frequency, the bivariate analysis and the multivariate analysis of Poisson logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of self-medication in children was 91,3%. Parents who only studied primary and secondary school were more likely to self-medicate their children PRa=1,22 (95% CI: 1,01-1,40). the first-born were protected from self-medication PRa=0,86 (95% CI: 0,76-0,97). Parents who were between 20 and 29 years of age obtained PRa=1,04 (95% CI: 0,96-1,13), children under 7 years old, PRa=0,99 (95% CI: 0,91-1,07) and parents of family that had 1 child PRa=1,04 (95% CI:0,90-1,20). Conclusions: The educational level and the order number of the child, such as being the first-born, had a significant association with self-medication in children.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Factors Influencing Self-Medication in Children.

To evaluate the prevalence, influencing factors, and behavior rules of self-medication in children. Articles on self-medication in children from various electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, the WHO website (https://www.who.int/), ABI, CNKI, and Wanfang), were searched to August 2022. The single-group meta-analyses of the prevalence, influencing factors, and behavior rules of self-medication in children were performed using Revman 5.3 and Stata 16.0. The overall pooled prevalence of self-medication in children was 57% (95% CI: 0.39-0.75, I² = 100%, P < .00001 Z = 6.22). The pooled prevalence for main influencing factors, in terms of caregivers, was: 73% (95% CI: 0.72-0.75, I² = 100%, P < .00001, Z = 111.18) for those in rural areas; 55% (95% CI: 0.51-0.59, P = .04, Z = 26.92, I² = 68%, P < .00001) for females; 75% (95% CI: 0.74-0.76, I² = 68%, P < .00001, Z = 106.66) for those whose income was less than 716 dollars; 77% (95% CI: 0.75-0.79, I² = 99%, P < .000001, Z = 92.59) for the middle-aged and elderly; and 72% (95% CI: 0.58-87, I² = 99%, P < .00001, Z = 9.82) for those with a degree below bachelor. In the process of self-medication for children, 19% (95% CI: 0.06-0.32, I² = 99%, P < .00001, Z = 2.82) of the caregivers did not read the instructions, 28% (95% CI: -0.03-0.60, I² = 100%, P < .000001, Z = 1.77) neglected adverse effects, 49% (95% CI: 0.11-0.87, I² = 100%, P = .01, Z = 2.51) spontaneously increased or decreased the dosages, 49% (95% CI: 0.48-0.55, I² = 65%, P < .00001, Z = 16.51) had an awareness of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, and 41% (95% CI: 0.18-0.64, I² = 99%, P < .00001, Z = 3.49) misrecognized the antibiotics. Self-medication for children was common, although the overall prevalence was not very high. The prevalence of self-medication in children was relatively higher among those caregivers who were female, rural, had low-income, were elder, or had a degree below bachelor. Common behaviors during self-medication in children included spontaneous dose increase or decrease, a lack of awareness of OTC drugs, and misconception of antibiotics. Government departments should formulate corresponding policies to provide quality health education resources for the caregivers of children.

Prevalence and determinants of self-medication consumption of antibiotics in children in Iran: A population-based cross-sectional study, 2018-19.

The prevalence of self-medication of antibiotics has been revealed in various studies. The main aim of this work is to investigate the frequency of self-medication in children under 6 years and the factors affecting it. This is a population-based cross-sectional study conducted in the Arak metropolitan in the center of Iran from January 2019 to January 2020. We used stratified random sampling to determine recruitment criteria. As 1754 households were invited to the study that 1483 were approved to participate. Children's data were obtained by the interview with their mothers. In order to define self-medication consumption of antibiotics, it was adapted between annually maternal self-reported consumption of antibiotics among their children and history of received antibiotics registered in insurance services during the same time period. Logistic regression models were exploited to obtain odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Mean age of mothers was 31.8 years (SD = 5.4), 52.1% of the children were boys. Annually self-medication of antibiotic consumption was estimated 61.6% (n = 914). Based on the logistic regression analysis, in the adjusted analysis, girls were associated with self-medication consumption of antibiotics lower than boys' children (p = 0.016). Older mothers were lower self-medication consumption of antibiotics than youngers (p = 0.001). Moreover, the permanent job of fathers was associated with lower self-medication consumption of antibiotics than temporarily and unemployment (p = .001). The odds of self-medication consumption of antibiotics were increasing with the increase in age of children (OR: 1.21, CI95%: 1.12, 1.31 and p = 0.001). The increase in parity has been a significant association with the self-medication consumption of antibiotics (OR: 1.64, CI95%: 1.38, 1.95and p = 0.001). Results of this study show that some factors such as children's age, gender, mother's age, father's occupational status, and parity are the determinants that significantly impact the self-medication prevalence.

Factors associated with self-medication of antibiotics by caregivers in pediatric patients attending the emergency department: a case-control study

IntroductionAntibiotic self-medication is a common practice in pediatric caregivers in low-income countries with limited resources and represents a public health problem. Our study sought to determine what factors are associated with this practice, including differences in knowledge or attitudes of caregivers who attend a pediatric emergency service.MethodsCase-control study based on surveys of caregivers of pediatric patients brought to the emergency room with clinical symptoms suggestive of acute infection. Cases were defined as those caregivers who reported self-medication of antibiotics for the current illness and controls where those who did not report self-medication. Information was collected through a self-administered questionnaire that inquired about demographic and family characteristics, attitudes and knowledge toward self-medication of antibiotics. Data were compared using logistic regression and are presented with odd ratios and confidence intervals.ResultsA total of 728 caregivers, 182 cases and 546 controls were included. We found that higher parental education, both in mothers (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.40-0.79) and fathers (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.43-0.89) was associated with less self-medication. Attitudes such as always requesting antibiotics from their doctors (OR 3.92, 95% CI 1.59-9.66), frequently buying antibiotics without a prescription (OR 23.66, 95% CI 11.76-47.59) and giving advice on antibiotics among family members (OR 2.90, 95% CI 1.75-4.82) resulted in an increased likelihood of self-medication. There was also a higher probability of antibiotic self-medication in older children (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.09-1.17), those with a greater number of siblings (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.09-1.43) and in those cases that received antibiotics within the last 3 months (OR 6.27, 95% CI 4.35-9.04). Overall knowledge of risk of antibiotic self-medication was low.ConclusionsSome patient and family characteristics such as age, number of siblings, recent antibiotic usage and inappropriate attitudes are strongly related to antibiotic self-medication. These findings will inform future interventions to reduce self-medication in children.

Factors and Practices Associated with Self-Medicating Children among Mexican Parents.

Background: Pediatric self-medication is based on the subjective interpretation of symptoms in children by the mother or an adult, the decision to self-medicate is made by a third party. The objective of this work is to provide information on the factors and practices associated with the self-medication of children among parents in Mexico. Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted between June 2020 and December 2021 on Mexican parents with children under 12 years of age. Online questionnaires were completed with sections on sociodemographic characteristics, use of medicines or medicinal plants and their treated symptoms, sources of collection, and their recommendation. Results: A total of 9905 online surveys were completed with representation from the 32 states of Mexico, and the prevalence of self-medication was 49.6% (n = 4908). Associated factors were age, having two or more children, children with chronic illnesses, medium educational level, unemployment or employment unrelated to health, medium and high socioeconomic level, and lack of medical security. Respondents self-medicated their children on the recommendation of a family member or friend (55.8%), and own initiative (28%). The most used medication was VapoRub (61.3%), followed by paracetamol (56.9%) and chamomile (33.1%), and the most prevalent symptoms were flu/flow (47.7%) followed by cough (34.2%). The main reasons were perceiving symptoms as not serious (69.9%) and reusing medications (51.9%). Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of self-medication in children in Mexico, mainly associated with children with chronic diseases and families with three or more children.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Mothers with Children under five in the Villages Regarding Self-Medication in Ardakan city, Iran

Background and Objective: Nowadays, medication abuse and, in general, self-medication are among the biggest socio-economic and economic problems in different societies such as Iran. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of mothers with children under five years old about self-treatment in Ardakan villages, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 350 mothers with children under 5 years of age in Ardakan, 2020. The tool used to gather the required data was a four-part questionnaire (demographic, knowledge, attitude, and practice). Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. Results: The mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice were obtained at 5.17±4.11, 25.08±8.74, and 3.52±4.31, respectively. It was found that 58% of the mothers had poor knowledge, 51% had a poor attitude, and 62% had low self-medication practice, respectively. There was a statistically significant relationship between the mean knowledge score and mothers' education level. There was also a statistically significant relationship between the variables of mean practice score and family income adequacy. The most important sources of information for mothers with children under the age of five about self-medication were the Internet and social networks, followed by family and friends (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion: The results of the study showed that self-medication was very high in the study population and knowledge about the complications of self-medication in children was low, which should be considered an alarm by the authorities. The implementation of educational programs and workshops and distribution of education aids when mothers visit health centers can be effective in raising mothers' knowledge, improving their attitude, and forming the correct behavior.

Factors associated with self-medication in children and the decomposition of rural-urban disparities in China

BackgroundSelf-medication in children is one of the greatest threats to children health in China.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to examine the potential factors associated with self-medication in children and explore rural-urban disparities.MethodsA total of 2798 children enrolled in the study. Informed consent was obtained from each primary caregiver following a detail explanation about the purpose of the study. Multivariable logistic regression analysis and Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition analysis were used.ResultsThe results showed that 38.2% primary caregivers of rural areas self-medicated their children, compared to 18.7% of those in urban areas. The urban primary caregivers with college or above education were more likely to self-medicate their children, while rural primary caregivers with college or above education were less likely to self-medicate their children. Children having unhealthy eating habits were more likely to have been self-medicated by their primary caregivers in urban and rural areas. Urban primary caregivers who spend more than 10 min from home to the nearest medical institution were more likely to self-medicate their children. In rural areas, children aged 3–6 years old, primary caregivers with monthly household income per capita of 1001–3000 Yuan, and children with chronic diseases are another set of enabling factors which impacted on self-medication. Unhealthy eating habits of children were the largest contributor to the rural-urban self-medication gap.ConclusionsChildren’s factors explained the largest portion of the rural-urban difference in self-medication among children. The evidence presented in this study suggests that public health policies addressing rural-urban differences in children’ s factors could serve as an effective method for reducing rural-urban disparities in self-medication among children.

The prevalence of parental self-medication practice in Volgograd

The aim of the study is to study the prevalence, determinants, and reasons for parents using oral medications to treat their children in Volgograd (Russia). Materials and methods. An instant simultaneous cross-sectional anonymous survey of 390 mothers of children aged 1 to 14 years was conducted during October-March 2018-2019 in the city of Volgograd (Russia). Criteria for inclusion in the study: mothers of children older than 1 year. Exclusion criteria: other legal representatives of children (fathers, grandmothers, guardians, etc.); women with one child under the age of 1 year; mothers of children with chronic diseases; persons with medical education. The data obtained were analyzed using the STATISTICA-10 software package. To build models of logistic regression, the Student t-test was evaluated for independent samples (to assess the differences between the obtained data) and the χ2 criterion for the assessment of categorical differences. Results: it was found that 71.0% of mothers used the practice of self-medication of children, while its frequency depended only on the level of family income (χ2 = 7.077, p = 0.030) and did not depend on the age of the respondents (χ2 = 0.211, p = 0.976), education (χ2 = 2.626, p = 0.270), the number of children in the family (χ2 = 2.819, p = 0.421). Most often, antipyretic drugs (93.8%), decongestants (72.9%), antiallergic drugs (49.5%), enterosorbents (44.4%), immunomodulators (26.7%), antibiotics (7.9%) were used for self-medication. Using the logistic regression model, it was shown that the main determinant of self-medication in children is delayed treatment of parents for medical help (OR = 0.27, p &lt;0.001). Conclusion. The high frequency of self-medication dictates the need for further research to understand this phenomenon.

Evaluation of parents' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding self-medication for their children\u2019s dental problems during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundSelf-medication refers to taking medicine without consultation with a doctor or dentist, and it is an important health issue, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are no data about parents’ SM practices for their children’s dental problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aims to evaluate parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding self-medication for their children’s dental problems during the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Turkey.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was carried out in the pediatric dental clinic at Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, immediately after the COVID-19 lockdown ended. A total of 389 parents who agreed to participate in the study completed the questionnaire from July 1 to October 1. A questionnaire with 18 items was designed to collect information on the parents’ knowledge and attitudes regarding when, why, and how to use drugs and on their practices on medicating their children. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics (chi-square test).ResultsThe majority of parents (n = 273; 70.2%) practiced self-medication for their children's dental problems. Self-medication with a previously prescribed medications was usually preferred by parents (n = 179; 62.2%). Analgesics (98%) were the most commonly used medicines by parents in their self-medication for their children's dental problems.ConclusionPrevalence of self-medication practices for children's dental problems is high in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, new healthcare services, such as teledentistry, may be useful to overcome problems related to the self-medication of children during times when the ability to reach healthcare providers is limited, such as during pandemics.

The practice of self-medication in children by their mothers in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Self-medication is a common practice in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). There are few studies on mothers’ practice of self-medication in children in DRC. Trying to draw an inventory of this practice, we carried out a survey of self-medication of children under 12 years of age by their mothers (n = 392) in Lubumbashi, DRC. The main objective was to assess frequency of self-medication and the secondary purposes were to describe habits, dangerous behaviors and common mistakes. The results speak for themselves: 96% of the mothers self-medicate their children; 95.7% do not know the exact dosage of the drug used; 97.17% do not check the expiry date; over 91% of the mothers use antimalarials, 41.3% antipyretics/analgesics and 26.3% antibiotics. Healthcare practitioners should involve household members in focused awareness on self-medication and its negative implications in order to encourage them to serve as change agents against the practice by mothers.

Evaluation of influenza vaccine effectiveness in 2017-2018 influenza season based on community children cohort study

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of influenza vaccine in children aged 6-72 months. Methods: The cohort study was conducted based on community child vaccination clinics in Yiwu and Yongkang counties of Zhejiang province. From October 2017 to December 2017, a total of 1 752 children aged 6-72 months were enrolled from 10 child vaccination clinics. The questionnaire survey was conducted after the written consents were obtained from the parents or legal guardians of the children. Then, a follow up was conducted for enrolle children until 30 April 2018, the influenza vaccination status and the number of influenza-like illness (ILI) cases, hospital visit due to ILI, self-medication due to ILI were observed and recorded every month. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) was estimated by using the generalized linear model (GLM) where dependent variables were the number of ILI cases, hospital visit and self-medication respectively. Results: Of the 1 752 children, 925 (52.80%) were boys and the median age was 30.00 months. The cumulative observation was 308 166 person days at the end of 2017-2018 season, with 5.27 ILI cases per 1 000 person days, 3.41 hospital visit due to ILI per 1 000 person days, 1.45 self-medication due to ILI per 1 000 person days. Of the 1 752 children, 643 received the influenza vaccination in 2017-2018 season. Compared with unvaccinated children, the VE was 23.5% against ILI case number (95%CI: 15.1%-31.1%), 19.3% against hospital visit due to ILI (95%CI: 8.2%-29.1%) and 25.8% against self-medication due to ILI (95%CI: 9.3%- 39.3%). Modeling splitting 643 children with 2017-2018 vaccination into those before and after vaccination, the influenza VE was 31.9% against ILI case number (95%CI: 12.7%-46.9%), 32.6% against hospital visit due to ILI (95%CI: 8.6%-50.3%) and 44.3% against self-medication due to ILI (95%CI: 11.9%-64.8%) in children aged 36-72 months. However, the children aged 6-35 months showed no significant VEs. For the VE analysis in children with different vaccination status, the VEs were significant if they received vaccination in both 2016-2017 season and 2017-2018 season or only in 2017-2018 seasons. The VE was not demonstrated among the children who were immunized only in 2016-2017 season. Conclusion: Influenza vaccination is moderate effective in preventing the incidence of ILI and hospital visit and self-medication in children in influenza season, the protection effect in children aged 36-72 months is better than that in children aged 6-35 months.

Parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards self-medication for their children: a cross-sectional study from Palestine

Abstract&#x0D; Background&#x0D; Self-therapy with various medications is a commonly practised form of children self-care among parents throughout the world, with the prevalence and pattern differing from country to country. Parental knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding self-medication of their children need to be taken into consideration because children are more sensitive to adverse consequences of medication. This study was designed to assess Palestinian parents’ KAP towards self-medication for their children.&#x0D; Methods&#x0D; A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in Palestine from October 2016 to February 2017, using a face-to-face interview questionnaire format, which was adapted from previous studies in this field. Data was collected by convenient sampling. The parents answered a questionnaire covering socio-demographic and economic variables; medication information; knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding self-medication; and the toxicity of medications used for self-therapy.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; Among the 500 respondents interviewed, the total parents of 357 (73.4%) accepted using medications as self-therapy for their children. The most common reason for using self-medication was previous experience (54.6%). The medications most often used in such self-therapy are antipyretics (95%), followed by skin creams (46%) and anti-cough and anti-influenza medication (44.2%). Parental knowledge about toxicity was found to be inadequate knowledge. For example, around 70% of parents believe that paracetamol and multivitamin are not fatal in cases of overdose.&#x0D; Conclusions&#x0D; Self-medication of children is common among parents in Palestine. There has been a high tendency for parents to self-medicate their children, in particular with antipyretics. Moreover, antibiotics have been used without prescriptions by a large proportion of parents. As such, specific guidelines for appropriate self-therapy should be established. We must encourage pharmacists to educate parents on how to self-medicate medicine in proper doses and at the correct time, as well when the dose reaches a toxic level.