Understanding of pediatric antimicrobial prescriptions among health units in a southern brazil city

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the understanding of the antimicrobial prescriptions by children’s accompaning adults, describing the medicine utilization profile among Health Units in a South Brazilian city. A cross-sectional study was carried out and its target was people accompanying children during consultations that resulted in antimicrobial prescription (n=209), from May to June, 2007. A score (4-12) was generated to evaluate the understanding based on correct and incorrect/unknown statements about the prescription. Understanding was considered adequate when the score was below 6.5. Schooling (p=0.05), income (p=0.03), skin color (p=0.007) of accompanying person and length of the visit in minutes (p=0.05) were associated to a better understanding of the prescription. Adequate understanding represented 58.9% of the prescriptions. The most prescribed antimicrobials were amoxicilin and the association Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole. The results point out to a need for standardization of written information and educational measures such as oral and written orientation to assure a better understanding of the prescriptions. We therefore assure a better understanding of the prescription, which helps the treatment to succeed, also avoiding the phenomena of microbic resistence.