Parental administration of over-the-counter medication to Spanish children: A population-based national study.

PURPOSE

To determine the prevalence and predictors of parental administration of over-the-counter (OTC) medications to children in Spain.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study performed with data from the 2011 to 2012 Spanish National Health Survey among children (birth to 14 years old) of both sexes.

RESULTS

Of the 5,495 children analyzed, 8.2% had received OTC drugs in the 2 weeks preceding the survey. Medicines for colds (25.5%), analgesics (30.3%), and antipyretics (22.8%) were the most commonly used drugs. Some of the predictor variables of parental administration of OTC medications included older age groups (10- to 15-year-olds, adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.45), no chronic illness (AOR = 1.21), children with limitations of normal activity (AOR = 3.05), parents of middle (AOR = 1.42) and higher (AOR = 1.38) social status, and completion of secondary school (AOR = 1.50) or higher education (AOR = 1.38).

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Understanding these factors may assist nurses to identify parents most likely to administer OTCs to their children, and to ensure that parents are aware of the purpose, dosage, side effects, and overall safety of OTC medications.