Maternal education, health profession and cigarette smoking are decisive factors for self-medication in children by parents

Self-medication of children by their parents (SMCP) is an important public health issue as the effects and potential risks may be unpredictable. The objective of this first national Montenegrin study was to assess the prevalence of and factors influencing SMCP among schoolchildren. Data were obtained from a national representative sample of 4496 schoolchildren aged 7–13 years (50.4 % boys). Parents/caregivers completed a questionnaire concerning their demographic characteristics, socio-economic and cultural status, as well as the self-medication (SM) of their children. The association between SMCP and parents\u27 socio-economic, demographic or cultural status was assessed by logistic regression analyses. The prevalence rate of SMCP was 24.6 %. Univariate logistic regression showed that maternal socio-demographic characteristics (educational level, employment status, health care profession and smoking habits) were relevant for SMCP. In a multiple logistic regression the independent effect /adjusted odds ratio (AOR) (95 % CI)/ of maternal factors on SMCP remained for: education /2.23 (1.18–4.24)/, university-level vs. no education; profession /1.50 (1.07–3.00)/, health profession vs. non-health profession; and smoking habit /1.22 (1.04–1.42)/smokers vs. non-smokers. SMCP may be expected for every fourth child in Montenegro. Specific maternal factors that independently raise the probability of SMCP are higher education, health profession and smoking

Systemic Measures and Legislative and Organizational Frameworks Aimed at Preventing or Mitigating Drug Shortages in 28 European and Western Asian Countries

Drug shortages have been identified as a public health problem in an increasing number of countries. This can negatively impact on the quality and efficiency of patient care, as well as contribute to increases in the cost of treatment and the workload of health care providers. Shortages also raise ethical and political issues. The scientific evidence on drug shortages is still scarce, but many lessons can be drawn from cross-country analyses. The objective of this study was to characterize, compare, and evaluate the current systemic measures and legislative and organizational frameworks aimed at preventing or mitigating drug shortages within health care systems across a range of European and Western Asian countries. The study design was retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive, and observational. Information was gathered through a survey distributed among senior personnel from ministries of health, state medicines agencies, local health authorities, other health or pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement authorities, health insurance companies and academic institutions, with knowledge of the pharmaceutical markets in the 28 countries studied. Our study found that formal definitions of drug shortages currently exist in only a few countries. The characteristics of drug shortages, including their assortment, duration, frequency, and dynamics, were found to be variable and sometimes difficult to assess. Numerous information hubs were identified. Providing public access to information on drug shortages to the maximum possible extent is a prerequisite for performing more advanced studies on the problem and identifying solutions. Imposing public service obligations, providing the formal possibility to prescribe unlicensed medicines, and temporary bans on parallel exports are widespread measures. A positive finding of our study was the identification of numerous bottom-up initiatives and organizational frameworks aimed at preventing or mitigating drug shortages. The experiences and lessons drawn from these initiatives should be carefully evaluated, monitored, and presented to a wider international audience for careful appraisal. To be able to find solutions to the problem of drug shortages, there is an urgent need to develop a set of agreed definitions for drug shortages, as well as methodologies for their evaluation and monitoring. This is being progressed

Maternal education, health profession and cigarette smoking are decisive factors for self-medication in children by parents

Self-medication of children by their parents (SMCP) is an important public health issue as the effects and potential risks may be unpredictable. The objective of this first national Montenegrin study was to assess the prevalence of and factors influencing SMCP among schoolchildren. Data were obtained from a national representative sample of 4496 schoolchildren aged 7–13 years (50.4 % boys). Parents/caregivers completed a questionnaire concerning their demographic characteristics, socio-economic and cultural status, as well as the self-medication (SM) of their children. The association between SMCP and parents’ socio-economic, demographic or cultural status was assessed by logistic regression analyses. The prevalence rate of SMCP was 24.6 %. Univariate logistic regression showed that maternal socio-demographic characteristics (educational level, employment status, health care profession and smoking habits) were relevant for SMCP. In a multiple logistic regression the independent effect /adjusted odds ratio (AOR) (95 % CI)/of maternal factors on SMCP remained for: education /2.23 (1.18–4.24)/, university-level vs. no education; profession /1.50 (1.07–3.00)/, health profession vs. non-health profession; and smoking habit /1.22 (1.04–1.42)/smokers vs. non-smokers. SMCP may be expected for every fourth child in Montenegro. Specific maternal factors that independently raise the probability of SMCP are higher education, health profession and smoking

Prevalence of and contributing factors to overweight and obesity among the schoolchildren of Podgorica, Montenegro

Introduction/Objective. Childhood obesity is an emerging public health problem. The national prevalence of child overweight/obesity in Montenegro has increased by one third in the last decade. As the overwhelming majority of Montenegrin population is urban, investigation of obesity and correlates among urban children is of special public health interest. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and contributing factors to obesity among schoolchildren of Podgorica. Method. The sample included 1,134 schoolchildren (49.8% boys) aged 7–12 years, from 10 elementary schools in Podgorica. We measured children’s body mass, body height, and waist circumference to calculate body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio. The research instrument was a closed type of the original questionnaire. Nutritional status was assessed according to the criteria recommended by the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and International Obesity Task Force. Results. Among the investigated children there were 21.2% and 6% overweight and obese children, respectively. Obesity was more frequent among boys (7.6%) compared to girls (4.4%). In a multiple regression, childhood obesity was positively related to the following: male gender, younger age, lower number of siblings, parental obesity, and low physical activity. Conclusion. One out of five urban Montenegrin schoolchildren is overweight/obese, with obesity being twice as frequent among boys compared to girls. A program against obesity among urban Montenegrin children should focus on the revealed contributing factors