EPIDEMIOLOGY OF THE USE OF MEDICINES DURING THE FIRST 3 MONTHS OF LIFE IN AN URBAN AREA OF SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Introduction The few studies on the use of medicines in children point to excessive use, and in these studies, physicians are those mainly r esponsible for the prescription of medicines. In order to get to know the patterns of consumption medicines better, a study was made in chil dren in their first three months of life, according to social biologic al, food pattern and use of heath services of variables. Method The pa tterns of the use of medicines during the first three months of life i n 655 urban children born in Pelotas, Brazil, in 1993, were discribed. Information on the use of medicines was collected during a two-week p eriod in the first and third month of life. Results The use of medicin es was reported by 65% of mothers at the 1st and 69% at the 3rd month of life. Seventeen per cent of children consumed three or more differe nt medicines during those periods. Fixed combinations of three or more components - which was taken as an indicator of the poor of medicines quality - were consumed by 14% of the children at the 1st and 19% at the 3rd months of life. At the latter age, 20% of children had used a given medicine for one month or more. At the first month follow-up, Be nzalkonium Chloride + Homotropine were the most frequently used medici nes. At the third month they were, Aspirin, Benzalkonium Chloride + No rmal Saline Solution and Dimethicone + Homatropine. The main reasons f or taking medicines were cramps at the first month and colds at the th ird. At the first month follow-up, children with three or more sibling s used 64% less medicines than the older ones. Children who were not b reast-fed at the end of the first month showed a 75% greater risk of u se of medicines. Similar results were observed at the third month foll ow-up. Some of the medicines used were not recommendable for children. Conclusion Since early age children are submitted to an intense use o f medicines for almost every conceivable reason, with the risk of pote ntial side-effects and the possible lead to medicine or other drugs ad diction.