Drug utilization studies in children in the City of Salvador: factors determining analysis. / Estudos de utilização de medicamentos em crianças na cidade de Salvador: análise de fatores determinantes.

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

Background: The excessive and inadequate use of medicines in children has been evidenced in studies several developed at countries several. Little is known on the prevalence of consumption of medicines in children in Brazil. Objectives: To describe the use of drugs and to examine the factors that influence utilization in the population pediatric in Salvador, Brazil. Methods: A follow up study is on going in Salvador, involving a sample of 1445 children of 4 to 11 years old. At baseline an extensive questionnaire was applied, including questions on use of drugs in the last 14 days. The questionnaire was applied between february and may 2006. Drugs were classified according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification system. Categoric relationsships were examined with analysis. A P value <0.05 was considered statiscally significant. The effect of the determination was estimated by a hierarchical modelling approach fitting a sequence of multivariate regression models. Results: A total of 1382 children participated of the study, 48% of all children used at least one medicine. The genders differences were observed for use was higher in females compared with males from 51% to 45%, respectively (ℵ2M-H=4.20; p=0.004). The proportion of drug users decreased with increasing age in both genders (ℵ2t=22.10; p<0.001); from 61% to 43% in females (ℵ2t=8.8; p=0.003) and from 55% to 36% in males (ℵ2t=13.2; p<0.001). Analgesics were used by 25.5% of the children, followed by systemic antibiotics (7%) and cough and cold preparations (6%). The prevalence of use of medicine was associated with age (4-5 years), female gender, white mother, had health self-perception, number of visits to a doctor in the previous 3 months, health service visits and reports of financial expenses with medications during this period. Conclusions: The results of this work show that the type of consumed medicine and the factors associated to that consumption were similar to the observed in other populations. The study of determinant indicates the groups more subject to the excessive use, what can base strategies for promotion of the rational use of medicines.

ASSUNTO(S)

farmacoepidemiologia drug utilization pharmacoepidemiology children prescrição de medicamentos saude publica crianças uso de medicamentos automedicação

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

Documentos Relacionados