Exploring the Frequency of Non-Academic Treatments Administered by Parents Prior to Emergency Hospitalization ofChildren at Akbar Hospital

Self-medication has various implications for children's health. Given the limited documentation on the prevalence of self-medication in children in Iran, this study aims to investigate the frequency of non-academic treatments in children and the phenomenon of self-medication by parents

A cross-sectional study involving 300 parents of hospitalized children at the emergency department of Akbar Children's Hospital in Mashhad was conducted to examine the prevalence of self-medication before hospitalization. A census sampling method was employed. Data were collected using the "Self-Medication and its Prevalence" questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.

The study included 300 children with an average age of 6.09 ± 3.13 years, consisting of 150 boys and 150 girls. Two hundred and eighty-three participants lived in urban areas, and 280 had insurance coverage. Parental self-prescription of medication occurred in 197 cases, with 208 having a history of previous self-prescribed medication. The most common illnesses leading to self-medication in the last 6 months were cold (94.7%), headache (78.7%), and fever (60.7%). The most commonly used medications were cold remedies (93.7%), analgesics (89%), and antibiotics (52.7%)

The findings of this study indicate that self-medication is reported in over 69% of the participants. Education and implementation of various strategies to reduce this phenomenon are recommended, considering its potential consequences.