Parent-Directed use of Over-the-Counter Medications and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies among Pediatric Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

The use of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) as initial options by parents is common in the pediatric population. Despite the widespread use of parent-directed medication (PDM) among the pediatric population, we have scarce data in the Indian context. This study was done to assess the PDM practices and its determinants in the Indian population.

It was a descriptive cross-sectional study assessing a representative sample of 284 parents of pediatric patients visiting the pediatrics department of a tertiary care hospital.

Majority (64.08%; 182 out of 284) of the parents agreed to have used some form of PDM in the past 3 months. While higher socioeconomic status and having 2 or more children were associated with higher practice of PDM (P < 0.05), it was similar between educated or uneducated parents, rural or urban backgrounds, and nuclear or joint families (P > 0.05). CAM was the most commonly used option (58.12%; 161 out of 277), followed by OTC conventional allopathic medications (41.88%; 116 out of 277). Homeopathic medicines were the most preferred alternative therapy under the Alternative Medical System Category of National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Majority of parents (71.43%; 130 out of 182) were confident that the treatment chosen could not harm the health of their children and they attributed time constraints or availability of prior prescriptions as reasons for such practice.

PDM is a widespread phenomenon in the Indian pediatric population. The parents as well as the prescribers need to take a more balanced, practical, and judicious approach toward medications given to a child.