Parental perception of antibiotic use in children at home: a cross-sectional study

Percepción de los padres sobre el uso de antibióticos en niños en el hogar: un estudio transversal

Objectives:  to assess parental perception of the factors influencing their children’s antibiotic use at home and to determine the association with sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods:  a descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 209 parents of children under 12 years of age who used antibiotics at home. A sociodemographic and clinical characterization instrument and the Parental Perception on Antibiotics Scale were administered. The Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman tests were used for data analysis.

Results:  most participants were mothers (90.9%). Parents with elementary education and income below the minimum wage had higher medians in the scale factors 1- Knowledge and beliefs, 2- Behaviors, and 3- Adherence, indicating less understanding of the correct use of antibiotics.

Conclusions:  parental perception of the factors that influence antibiotic administration to children at home is directly associated with the correct use of medication and sociodemographic factors.

Descriptors:
Child Health; Respiratory Tract Infections; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Nursing; Perception.