ABSTRACT
INTRODUCCIÓN: La autoprescripción o medicación «por poderes» en el niño no es una decisión autónoma, libre y voluntaria del paciente, sino que se fundamenta en la interpretación subjetiva que hace de los síntomas la madre o una tercera persona responsable del menor. Analizar esta situación nos parece de vital importancia, a fin de conocer condicionantes, percepciones y realidades relacionadas con esta problemática. MÉTODOS: Nos planteamos analizar mediante un estudio observacional prospectivo condicionantes maternos y familiares relacionados con la autoprescripción y medicación «por poderes» en pediatría. Desarrollamos una encuesta validada para madres de usuarios de 0-14 años de un Servicio de Urgencias pediátricas hospitalario. RESULTADOS: En un periodo de tiempo aleatorio se selecciona a 1.714 madres, de las cuales 345 habían automedicado exclusivamente a sus hijos (grupo problema), las otras 1.369 (grupo control) no cumplían con el requisito anterior. La prevalencia total de medicación «por poderes» fue del 32,8%. Hay asociación significativa entre la automedicación y el nivel de estudios maternos, el número de hijos, el orden que ocupa entre los hermanos. Ni la edad materna, ni el nivel sociolaboral de la familia se relacionan con el problema. Los fármacos utilizados con más frecuencia incluyen antitérmicos y «anticatarrales», habitualmente como monoterapia. CONCLUSIONES: Nuestros resultados parecen indicar que el nivel educativo, y la experiencia adquirida por las madres con hijos previos, les genera la confianza suficiente para elegir los fármacos, que casi en el 85% de los casos proceden del «botiquín doméstico»
INTRODUCTION: Self-prescribing or medicating «by proxy» is not an autonomous, free and voluntary decision in the case of children. On the contrary, in this case it is based on the subjective interpretation of symptoms made by the mother or by a third person who is legally responsible for the minor. In our opinion, to analyse this situation is of great importance in order to know the determining factors, perceptions, and realities related to this problem. METHODS: Our proposal is to perform a prospective observational study for analysing maternal and familiar determinant factors related to self-prescribing and self-medicating 'by proxy' in paediatrics. A validated survey was developed to be applied to mothers of children aged 0 to 14 who are users of the Paediatric Emergency Department in a hospital. RESULTS: A total of 1,714 mothers were recruited in a random period of time. This sample included 345 mothers who exclusively self-medicated their children (case group), and 1,369 mothers (control group) who did not meet this requirement. The overall percentage of medicating 'by proxy' was 32.8%. There is a significant association between self-medicating and educational level of the mother, the number of children, and the birth order among siblings. Neither maternal age nor social-occupational level are related to this problem. Most frequently used drugs include antipyretics and «anticatharrals», usually administered as a monotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our results seem to indicate that the educational level and the parental experience acquired with previous children could generate the required confidence in parents to choose the medication by themselves. Almost 85% of these drugs come from the «home first-aid kit»
Subject(s)
Humans , Child , Third-Party Consent , ParentingABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Self-prescribing or medicating 'by proxy' is not an autonomous, free and voluntary decision in the case of children. On the contrary, in this case it is based on the subjective interpretation of symptoms made by the mother or by a third person who is legally responsible for the minor. In our opinion, to analyse this situation is of great importance in order to know the determining factors, perceptions, and realities related to this problem. METHODS: Our proposal is to perform a prospective observational study for analysing maternal and familiar determinant factors related to self-prescribing and self-medicating 'by proxy' in paediatrics. A validated survey was developed to be applied to mothers of children aged 0 to 14 who are users of the Paediatric Emergency Department in a hospital. RESULTS: A total of 1,714 mothers were recruited in a random period of time. This sample included 345 mothers who exclusively self-medicated their children (case group), and 1,369 mothers (control group) who did not meet this requirement. The overall percentage of medicating 'by proxy' was 32.8%. There is a significant association between self-medicating and educational level of the mother, the number of children, and the birth order among siblings. Neither maternal age nor social-occupational level are related to this problem. Most frequently used drugs include antipyretics and 'anticatharrals', usually administered as a monotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our results seem to indicate that the educational level and the parental experience acquired with previous children could generate the required confidence in parents to choose the medication by themselves. Almost 85% of these drugs come from the 'home first-aid kit.'
