Abstract

BALLESTER VIDAL, María Rosa et al. Antibiotic treatment compliance of children in Primary Care settings. Rev Clin Med Fam [online]. 2014, vol.7, n.1, pp.32-38. ISSN 2386-8201.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1699-695X2014000100005.

Object: Collecting information about treatment compliance of children who have been prescribed antibiotics and identifying factors related to treatment noncompliance. Design of the study: Observational descriptive study. Setting: Primary Care Pediatric Outpatient Clinics. Participants: A group of 117 children under antibiotic treatment were assessed one week after prescription in two Basic Healthcare areas. Main measures: Several socio-demographic variables were studied: age, sex, child and parents' nationality, parents' educational level, marital status of parents and their social status. Health problems (ICPC-2 classification), treatment compliance (Morisky-Green questionnaire) and other characteristics in relation to the prescribed antibiotic and to the participants were also assessed. Results: The average age of participants was 4.8 years (SD: 3.3). Treatment compliance (Morisky-Green) was inadequate in 55.6% (CI95%: 45.1-65.0%) of patients. The most frequent reasons for incorrect administration or treatment discontinuation were: not waking up the child (43.8%), improved condition (28.1%) and forgetting administration (13.8%). Fourteen patients (12.0%) presented adverse effects. The associated variables, by logistic regression, to antibiotic treatment noncompliance were: having one of the parents with secondary or higher studies (OR: 3.1; p=0.020), mother with primary education or lower (OR: 3.3; p=0.010) and antibiotic administration in three daily doses (OR:5.2; p=0.012). The variable "two or more visits to the pediatric clinic in the last month" bordered on statistical significance (OR: 2.2; p=0.059). Conclusions: More than half of the children with antibiotic treatment in Primary Care do not comply correctly with the prescribed therapy. The parents' level of studies and the number of daily doses are related to noncompliance with antibiotic treatment, factors which should be considered when those medicines are prescribed.

Keywords : Medication Adherence; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Primary Health Care.

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