<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_jmotherandchild.20212501.d-20-00024_s_008">
<h3>Background</h3>
<p>Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are becoming increasingly popular. However, little is known about parents’ practices concerning the use of OTC antipyretics in children. This paper aimed to study the habits and knowledge of parents regarding the use of OTC antipyretics in their offspring, considering the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the families.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jmotherandchild.20212501.d-20-00024_s_009">
<h3>Material and methods</h3>
<p>A multiple-purpose survey was conducted anonymously among 229 parents of patients hospitalised in the Department of Paediatrics, University Children’s Hospital, Krakow. Each parent answered 23 questions regarding OTC antipyretics use in his/her hospitalised child throughout the whole child’s life. The data was statistically analysed.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jmotherandchild.20212501.d-20-00024_s_010">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>OTC antipyretics are administered to their children by 92% of parents. In the vast majority (87%), health care professionals or a leaflet were the sources of information on the drug and its dosage. Parents also used information from TV or the Internet (27%) and friends and family (30%), especially those in the younger age group. Families with high socioeconomic status were more likely to use health care professionals’ advice for drug knowledge. Parents of children with allergic diseases made less use of nonmedical sources of knowledge.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jmotherandchild.20212501.d-20-00024_s_011">
<h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>The majority of parents use OTC antipyretic drugs in their children. However, a high percentage of people using nonmedical sources of information is of concern. It is necessary to educate caregivers and to build the parents’ awareness that they take an active role in their child’s treatment. It would be useful to create generally available recommendations for home treatment.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Background
Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are becoming increasingly popular. However, little is known about parents’ practices concerning the use of OTC antipyretics in children. This paper aimed to study the habits and knowledge of parents regarding the use of OTC antipyretics in their offspring, considering the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the families.

Material and methods
A multiple-purpose survey was conducted anonymously among 229 parents of patients hospitalised in the Department of Paediatrics, University Children’s Hospital, Krakow. Each parent answered 23 questions regarding OTC antipyretics use in his/her hospitalised child throughout the whole child’s life. The data was statistically analysed.

Results
OTC antipyretics are administered to their children by 92% of parents. In the vast majority (87%), health care professionals or a leaflet were the sources of information on the drug and its dosage. Parents also used information from TV or the Internet (27%) and friends and family (30%), especially those in the younger age group. Families with high socioeconomic status were more likely to use health care professionals’ advice for drug knowledge. Parents of children with allergic diseases made less use of nonmedical sources of knowledge.

Conclusions
The majority of parents use OTC antipyretic drugs in their children. However, a high percentage of people using nonmedical sources of information is of concern. It is necessary to educate caregivers and to build the parents’ awareness that they take an active role in their child’s treatment. It would be useful to create generally available recommendations for home treatment.

Over-the-counter antipyretics use among children from Southeastern Poland

Journal of Mother and Child

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Over-the-counter antipyretics use among children from Southeastern Poland"}

Background
Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are becoming increasingly popular. However, little is known about parents’ practices concerning the use of OTC...

Over-the-counter antipyretics use among children from Southeastern Poland

Article Category: Original Research

Pubblicato online: 11 ott 2021

Pagine: 35 - 43

Ricevuto: 23 dic 2020

Accettato: 10 mag 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34763/jmotherandchild.20212501.d-20-00024

Parole chiave
over-the-counter, antipyretics, parents, children, factors, sources

© 2021 Olga Pyznar et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Over-the-counter antipyretics use among children from Southeastern Poland

Article Category: Original Research

Pubblicato online: 11 ott 2021

Pagine: 35 - 43

Ricevuto: 23 dic 2020

Accettato: 10 mag 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34763/jmotherandchild.20212501.d-20-00024

Parole chiaveover-the-counter, antipyretics, parents, children, factors, sources

© 2021 Olga Pyznar et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Parole chiave
over-the-counter, antipyretics, parents, children, factors, sources