Objective:
The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge of
parents and caregivers with respect to the purchase, use and storage
of liquid analgesics purchased over the counter (OTC) from pharmacies.
This would enable specific strategies to be identified to increase
awareness of the potential risks of these products.
Methods: Questionnaires were developed and used a combination
of Likert Scales, open ended questions and yes/no answers. Randomly
chosen New Zealand pharmacies (463) were asked to approach a person
purchasing liquid analgesics and ask them to complete the questionnaire.
Of the 105 pharmacies that participated, 96 completed parent/caregiver
questionnaires were returned.
Results: When choosing a product there was a statistically significant
difference between the most important factors ‘safety’ and ‘active
ingredient’ and the least important factors ‘cost’ and if the
parent/caregiver ‘used it before’. All parents/caregivers claim
to have received verbal information from pharmacy staff, with
40% stating that they ‘always’ receive information. The majority
of parents/caregivers store medicines in a high place (n=61),
in a cupboard (n=56) or a combination of these. Over half (52%)
of the parents/caregivers thought that children could ‘never’
open child resistant closures.
Conclusion: Whilst parents and caregivers choose products based
on perceived safety, there is an over estimation in the perception
of the protection that a child resistant closure actually offers.
The general public needs to continually be vigilant in the use,
storage and administration when using medication in the vicinity
of children.
