Promoting proper Use of Medicines in School Children- An Interventional Study

1. Promoting proper Use of Medicines in School Children- An Interventional Study MangeshBankar*, Vijay Thawani**, KundaGharpure. *- Government Medical College, Nagpur, India. **-VCSGGMSRI, Uttarakhand, India.

2. Introduction • Proper use of medicines is an important life skill • Teaching proper use of medicines is the most neglected domain of school health curriculum, especially in developing economies. • Children and adolescents get few opportunities to learn how to use medicines appropriately. • Study targeted school children- earlier the intervention, longer lasting health-related behavior can be successfully inculcated in them.

3. Objectives • 1) To study of base-level knowledge about use of medicines in school children • 2) To implement an intervention in the form of information, education and communication (IEC) to increase medicine knowledge among school children • 3) To see the effect of IEC on the awareness about proper use of medicines in school children.

4. Material and Methods

5. Materials and Methods Design: • This was an interventional, questionnaire based survey in which level of awareness about proper use of medicines in school children was compared before and after giving an intervention in the form of lectures to the school children. Setting: • This study was conducted at local level i.e. children in IXth and Xthstandard were selected from 4 different schools of Nagpur city.

6. Material and Methods (contd.) • Interventions: Pretesting done by administering a questionnaire containing 25 questions • Teaching material related to rational use of medicines was explained and distributed to teachers • Also posters related to Do’s and Don'ts of Medicine use were displayed on Notice Boards. • After a week same questionnaire administered again to judge the improvement

7. Results:

8. Table 1: Participants' responses to the questions All figures in percentages, pretest n=400, post test n=423, *P<0.05, ***P<0.0001 when compared to post test value (Actual questions were full length sentences which have condensed in table)

11. Discussion • Children’s knowledge about medicines was insufficient. • They mostly learn about medicines by observing family members or by exposure to media advertising. • Adults lacking proper knowledge of medicines • Media advertising can influence inappropriate use of analgesics, vitamins. • Physicians often do not take the time to educate their patients • School curricula do not include rational use of medicines

12. Discussion • Understanding risks and limitations of medicine use- gaining more responsibility • Moreover, schoolchildren can become conduits of information about medicines to their families. • This study showed that properly timed and meticulously implemented intervention can bring about a positive change in the attitude and knowledge of school children.

13. Policy Implications • Need for educating children about medicines • Education to school children to communicate with health care providers • Provide education to children in the form of Hands on experience • Physicians, pharmacists, nursing staff should be urged to conduct such courses.

14. Future research agenda • It is important to know attitude, beliefs and questions • Autonomy among children with regard to any aspect of medicine use. • Inclusion of village school children

15. Thank You