Nonprescription drug use among hospitalized pediatric patients.

The parents of pediatric patients were questioned regarding the use and selection of nonprescription drugs for their children. A questionnaire was distributed to the parents of 200 hospitalized pediatric patients. It gathered information on nonprescription drug use during the six-month and one-week periods before hospitalization, the importance of various sources of advice regarding the need to self-medicate, and the sources of product information and the factors influencing product selection. One hundred sixty questionnaires were returned. Almost all of the children (97.5%) were self-medicated by their parents within the six-month period before hospital admission. Only 21% of the parents usually sought advice before deciding to self-medicate their children. Physician recommendations were noted as an important factor in the selection of a nonprescription product, followed an importance by pharmacists and then other health-care professionals. Professional recommendations all ranked higher than other recommendation sources, such as television, radio, or printed advertisements. Pharmacists should take a more active role in aiding parents in their decision to self-medicate their children.