Bland Ruth M, Rollins Nigel C, Van den Broeck Jan, Coovadia Hoosen M
Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, Mtubatuba, kwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
Trop Med Int Health. 2004 Jan;9(1):118-24. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.2003.01148.x.
This paper describes the use of non-prescribed medications given to a cohort of infants in the first 3 months of life in a rural South African district, and discusses some of the implications for primary health care.
As part of an ongoing study on breastfeeding, a cohort of 110 infants were visited at home at 6 and 12 weeks of age. Any medications given to the infant since the last visit, the reasons for their administration, and any visits made to traditional healers were recorded via a semi-structured questionnaire. Determinants of administration of non-prescribed medication were analysed, including maternal age, education, infant gender and socio-economic factors.
A total of 107 (97%) infants received non-prescribed medications in the first 3 months of life: 98 (89%) rectally and 64 (58%) orally. The most common enema contained traditional Zulu medicine made from herbs, given more than once weekly, usually for perceived constipation; the most common oral medication was gripe water, given once daily, mainly for 'colic' or 'wind'. Twenty-nine (26%) mothers had consulted a traditional healer, most commonly because of concerns about a capillary naevus, thought to cause pain. Mothers with a 'clean' water supply were more likely to give non-prescribed oral medications than those without (OR=2.7 and P=0.0223), whilst those who had no education were less likely to administer them than those who had completed school (OR=0.19 and P=0.0326).
Non-prescribed medications are given almost universally to young infants in our area, irrespective of socio-economic class. Health professionals need to be aware of the extent of, and reasons for, administration of non-prescribed medications to young infants, so that effective health messages can be targeted at mothers and caregivers.
本文描述了南非农村地区一组婴儿在出生后前3个月使用非处方药的情况，并探讨了其对初级卫生保健的一些影响。
作为一项正在进行的母乳喂养研究的一部分，在婴儿6周和12周龄时对110名婴儿进行家访。通过半结构化问卷记录自上次访视以来给婴儿服用的任何药物、用药原因以及去看传统治疗师的任何情况。分析了非处方药使用的决定因素，包括母亲年龄、教育程度、婴儿性别和社会经济因素。
共有107名（97%）婴儿在出生后前3个月接受了非处方药：98名（89%）通过直肠给药，64名（58%）通过口服给药。最常见的灌肠剂含有用草药制成的传统祖鲁药物，每周使用不止一次，通常用于治疗便秘；最常见的口服药物是西甲硅油，每天服用一次，主要用于治疗“腹绞痛”或“肠胃气胀”。29名（26%）母亲咨询过传统治疗师，最常见的原因是担心毛细血管瘤会引起疼痛。有“清洁”水源的母亲比没有的母亲更有可能给婴儿服用非处方口服药（比值比=2.7，P=0.0223），而未受过教育的母亲比完成学业的母亲给婴儿用药的可能性更小（比值比=0.19，P=0.0326）。
在我们地区，几乎所有婴儿都使用非处方药，无论社会经济阶层如何。卫生专业人员需要了解给婴儿使用非处方药的程度和原因，以便能够向母亲和护理人员传达有效的健康信息。
