IJPP 2003, 11: 209-215
© 2003 Int J Pharm Pract
Received February 25, 2003
Accepted August 6, 2003
ISSN 0961-7671

Academic Division of Child Health (University of Nottingham), Derbyshire Children’s Hospital

John McIntyre, senior lecturer in child health
Sharon Conroy, lecturer in paediatric clinical pharmacy
Nicola Birchley, research nurse
Imti Choonara, professor of child health

Academic Division of Child Health, University Hospital, Nottingham

Jacqueline Collier, senior lecturer in child health

Trent Focus, Division of General Practice, Nottingham

Sarah Rodgers, research associate
Karen Neil, research pharmacist

Division of Primary Care, University Hospital, Nottingham

Anthony Avery, professor of primary health care

Correspondence: Dr McIntyre, Academic Division of Child Health (University of Nottingham), Derbyshire Children’s Hospital, Uttoxeter Road, Derby, England DE22 3NE. E-mail: john.mcintyre@nottingham.ac.uk

Acknowledgments: We would like to thank the Proprietary Association of Great Britain for supporting this work and Trent Focus for their help in recruiting practices. We express thanks to participating GP practices and pharmacists and to the parent/carers who took time to be part of the study.

Original Papers

Use of over-the-counter medicines in children

John McIntyre, Sharon Conroy, Jacqueline Collier, Nicola Birchley, Sarah Rodgers, Karen Neil, Imti Choonara and Anthony Avery

Abstract
Objective To assess the reasons for over-the-counter (OTC) medicine use in children and the sociodemographic factors influencing this choice of self-care rather than GP consultation.

Method Questionnaires were sent to the home address of a randomly generated list of children under 12 years of age from three GP practices in the East Midlands selected to represent b ottom, middle and top tertiles of deprivation on the basis of the Jarman score. Analysis using chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests was used to identify associated factors (number of carers in the home, number of children, deprivation score, parent/carer’s age, age and number of children in the house) of the responses.
Setting Primary care setting in the East Midlands region of England.

Key findings From 424 completed questionnaires returned (response rate 61%), 413 parents/carers had purchased OTC medicines. Fifty-one different products had been purchased, with analgesic/antipyretic and cough/cold remedies the most frequently bought. The most commonly reported reasons for parent/carer initiated medication were to avoid troubling the GP with minor childhood ailments (79% of respondents) and to have medicines available in case of future need (74%). Cost was a barrier to buying OTC medicines for the more deprived. Advice-seeking behaviour was associated with the symptom, the number of children, affluence and the age of the child.

Conclusion Parent/carer initiated use of OTC medication is widespread, particularly for analgesic/antipyretic and cough/cold remedies. Differences in advice-seeking behaviour are associated with the presenting symptom and a variety of sociodemographic factors.