Avaliação do nível de entendimento das prescrições medicamentosas pediátricas em unidades básicas de saúde, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul

Abstract

Only few references address the understanding of pediatric prescription. The responsability for administration of the drug is related to the understanding of the prescription by the caregiver's child. The vulnerability of the child and increased possibility of a series of adverse reactions have the pediatric prescription the object of this research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the understanding level prescription by the mother or the accompanying persons during a visit to a pediatrician at a Primary Healthcare Unit. were interviewed 336 accompanying , in the period of May of 2007 to June of 2008, at the 24 Primary Healthcare Units in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. The medicines were supplied at the unit’s pharmacy. A questionnaire was applied to evaluate cultural status and factors related to the understanding of the prescription as legibility, name, dosage, frequency of administration, therapeutic indications, time of usage of medicines, as well as the understanding of the complementary verbal information. Among the interviewees, 80,4% were mothers and 49,4% of mothers and accompanying persons had only elementary school education. The information was received by 90,2% during the consultation and dispensing. Out of these 48,5% were informed by the doctor, 38,1% by the doctor and pharmacist and 14,3% by the pharmacist only. Of the prescriptions presented 87,5% were considered legible. From the interviewed group, 43,5% showed sufficient understanding, 9,5% medium and 47% insufficient. So the interference factors were low cultural level, absent or insufficient verbal information given during the consultation and dispensing, and the polifarmacoterapy. All this led to the poor understanding of the prescriptions. In order to ensure the safety of pediatric patients is necessary carers and professionals involved in prescribing and dispensing should be aware of the importance and value of information concerning the medicines. That will allow providing a conscious understanding and ensuring responsibility.