MANAGEMENT OF MINOR AILMENTS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLCHILDREN IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS

The concept of self-management in healthcare includes disease preventi on, self-diagnosis, self-treatment and appropriate consultation with h ealth care practitioners. Within the context of childrens' ailments th e decision-maker will usually be a carer. The aim of this study was to examine carers' management of minor childhood ailments within urban a nd rural settings. The subjects were primary schoolchildren (4-12 year s of age) and the respondents were their parents or carers. Data were gathered using a pre-piloted structured questionnaire. The questionnai res were distributed through and collected by the head teachers of the 13 participating schools. Of the 491 questionnaires distributed, 306 (62%) were returned and suitable for analysis. In total, 96 (31%) chil dren had experienced a minor ailment in the preceding 2 weeks; the mos t commonly reported were cold, headache and gastrointestinal disturban ce. Ninety-five respondents indicated how they managed this episode; t he most common response was to treat the child with a medicine which t hey already had in the house (41%). A further 24 obtained a medicine s pecifically to manage the episode; 12 on prescription and 12 purchased an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine. The majority of respondents (86%) felt that they based their management decision on their own experienc e, only 10 felt their action was influenced by the advice of a pharmac ist or doctor. Fifty children (16%) were reported to have a chronic il lness. Several respondents volunteered comments suggesting that they w ould be cautious in their use of OTC medicines. This study indicates t hat in the majority of cases, carers manage children's minor ailments without recourse to professional advice.