OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between parent's headache and symptom load and children's medicine use, and whether these associations are robust across countries and socio-demographic strata. METHODS: The study population included random samples of children from age 2 to 17 in five Nordic countries (participation rate 67.6%, n = 10,317). Outcome measure was child's medicine use for headache. Determinants were the mother's and father's headache and symptom load. Analyses were stratified by country, age group and socio-economic status. RESULTS: The prevalence of children's medicine use varied across countries between 13.7 and 21.3%. Girls' medicine use for headache was associated with mother's headache (OR = 2.00), father's headache (OR = 1.85), mother's symptom load (OR = 1.84) and father's symptom load (OR = 1.48). Boys' medicine use was only associated with mothers' headache (OR = 1.68) and symptom load (OR = 1.51). Associations remained significant after adjustment for the child's headache and were robust across countries and socio-demographic strata. CONCLUSIONS: Parents' symptom experience seems to influence their children's medicine use over and above medicine use indicated by symptoms. Two potential explanations are suggested: a socialization pathway and/or a pathway through adverse living conditions.
OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between parent's headache and symptom load and children's medicine use, and whether these associations are robust across countries and socio-demographic strata. METHODS: The study population included random samples of children from age 2 to 17 in five Nordic countries (participation rate 67.6%, n = 10,317). Outcome measure was child's medicine use for headache. Determinants were the mother's and father's headache and symptom load. Analyses were stratified by country, age group and socio-economic status. RESULTS: The prevalence of children's medicine use varied across countries between 13.7 and 21.3%. Girls' medicine use for headache was associated with mother's headache (OR = 2.00), father's headache (OR = 1.85), mother's symptom load (OR = 1.84) and father's symptom load (OR = 1.48). Boys' medicine use was only associated with mothers' headache (OR = 1.68) and symptom load (OR = 1.51). Associations remained significant after adjustment for the child's headache and were robust across countries and socio-demographic strata. CONCLUSIONS: Parents' symptom experience seems to influence their children's medicine use over and above medicine use indicated by symptoms. Two potential explanations are suggested: a socialization pathway and/or a pathway through adverse living conditions.
Authors: Kristen S Higgins; Kathryn A Birnie; Christine T Chambers; Anna C Wilson; Line Caes; Alexander J Clark; Mary Lynch; Jennifer Stinson; Marsha Campbell-Yeo Journal: Pain Date: 2015-11 Impact factor: 7.926