Pinto, Isabel C.Nascimento, LuísPereira, A.Izidoro, AnaPatrocínio, CátiaMartins, DanielaAlves, Margarida2018-10-102018-10-102018Pinto, Isabel C.; Nascimento, Luís; Pereira, Ana; Izidoro, Ana; Patrocínio, Cátia; Martins, Daniela; Alves, Margarida (2018). Characterization of pediatric medicines use in pre-scholar and primary school children. In Proceedings of the 4th IPLeiria’s International Health Congress 2018 ou Journal: BMC Health Services Research 18, Sup 2: O155, p. 82-831472-6963http://hdl.handle.net/10198/18048Background: Parents or other caregivers usually resort to the use of medication without prescription in their children, which can be considered as a facilitative process of drug intoxication. The child is not an adult in small size, which necessarily has implications for the use of drugs to ensure safety and effectiveness. Objectives: To examine the use of pediatric medicines and associated factors in children of pre-school and 1st cycle of basic education in the city of Bragança, in Northeast of Portugal. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational study, was based on a questionnaire applied to 371 parents or guardians of children of pre-school and 1st cycle of basic education in the city of Bragança, in the academic year 2014/2015. Statistical analysis was performed on the SPSS program, v. 20.0. It was used descriptive statistics, correlations were accessed using Spearman and qui-square tests, considering the significance level of 5%. Results: The results revealed that 86% of parents use drugs without prescription, of these 49% resort to this practice under the influence of ancient medical guidelines and 28% under the influence of information transmitted in the pharmacy. Mostly of parents (53%) resort to self-medication to relieve fever or treatment of influenza symptoms (14%) of their children. No statistically significant factors related to the use of nonprescription medication in children were found. Conclusions: Pediatric self-medication is a common practice, especially made based on old medical guidelines. Pediatric self-medication is a common practice, especially made based on old medical guidelines. Although no explanatory factors have been found for this pediatric self-medication.engconference object10.1186/s12913-018-3444-8