Pharmacotherapy Literacy and Parental Practice in Use of Over-the-Counter Pediatric Medicines
<i>Background and objectives:</i> 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 unders...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-03-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/55/3/80 |
| _version_ | 1797707202482405376 |
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| author | Dušanka Krajnović Stana Ubavić Nataša Bogavac-Stanojević |
| author_facet | Dušanka Krajnović Stana Ubavić Nataša Bogavac-Stanojević |
| author_sort | Dušanka Krajnović |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and objectives:</i> 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. <i>Materials and methods:</i> 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. <i>Results:</i> 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), <i>p</i> < 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), <i>p</i> = 0.025), as well as parents with three or more children (OR–2.527, 95%CI (1.43–4.459), <i>p</i> = 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), <i>p</i> < 0,001). <i>Conclusions:</i> 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:03:51Z |
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| id | doaj.art-84172e489ffa42c88da03efad34001d2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:03:51Z |
| publishDate | 2019-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-84172e489ffa42c88da03efad34001d22023-09-03T03:52:48ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X2019-03-015538010.3390/medicina55030080medicina55030080Pharmacotherapy Literacy and Parental Practice in Use of Over-the-Counter Pediatric MedicinesDušanka Krajnović0Stana Ubavić1Nataša Bogavac-Stanojević2Department of Social Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Legislation, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, 11221 Belgrade, SerbiaMedicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia (ALIMS), 11221 Belgrade, SerbiaDepartment of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia<i>Background and objectives:</i> 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. <i>Materials and methods:</i> 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. <i>Results:</i> 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), <i>p</i> < 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), <i>p</i> = 0.025), as well as parents with three or more children (OR–2.527, 95%CI (1.43–4.459), <i>p</i> = 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), <i>p</i> < 0,001). <i>Conclusions:</i> 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.https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/55/3/80parentsover-the-counterantipyreticspharmacotherapypre-school childrenpharmacistpharmacotherapy literacy |
| spellingShingle | Dušanka Krajnović Stana Ubavić Nataša Bogavac-Stanojević Pharmacotherapy Literacy and Parental Practice in Use of Over-the-Counter Pediatric Medicines Medicina parents over-the-counter antipyretics pharmacotherapy pre-school children pharmacist pharmacotherapy literacy |
| title | Pharmacotherapy Literacy and Parental Practice in Use of Over-the-Counter Pediatric Medicines |
| title_full | Pharmacotherapy Literacy and Parental Practice in Use of Over-the-Counter Pediatric Medicines |
| title_fullStr | Pharmacotherapy Literacy and Parental Practice in Use of Over-the-Counter Pediatric Medicines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pharmacotherapy Literacy and Parental Practice in Use of Over-the-Counter Pediatric Medicines |
| title_short | Pharmacotherapy Literacy and Parental Practice in Use of Over-the-Counter Pediatric Medicines |
| title_sort | pharmacotherapy literacy and parental practice in use of over the counter pediatric medicines |
| topic | parents over-the-counter antipyretics pharmacotherapy pre-school children pharmacist pharmacotherapy literacy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/55/3/80 |
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