Mother-to-child antibiotics utilization in Floridablanca, Pampanga: Determinants and health outcomes

• Main Author: Legaspi, Louie Fernand D.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2017
• Subjects: Antibiotics; Maternal health services > Philippines
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/5661
• Institution: De La Salle University

The issue of antibiotic resistance is one that is escalating nationally and globally. In the Philippines, the health of children is strongly dependent on maternal health behavior. The contact of antibiotics at an early age may lead to a number of nefarious consequences that could be associated from the mothers use of antibiotics on their children. The descriptive study sought to determine the current antibiotic use for children by selected mothers in Florida blanca, Pampanga. The quantitative study used a descriptive research design and utilized the survey method among purposively selected mothers who have given their children any antibiotics for the past six months. It specifically sought to identify the associations of the mothers personal characteristics, their knowledge on antibiotics, their access to antibiotics, their level of antibiotic utilization, and the association of the level of antibiotic utilization with their child's health outcomes after treatment. The instrument was a self-administered survey questionnaire and 110 mothers were selected to participate in the study. Generally, the mothers were aged between 19 to 47 years. Most of them reached high school level and are unemployed. Their monthly household income ranges from 2,500 to 40,000. Even if misconceptions regarding the use of antibiotics existed, the study showed that the mothers generally have a moderate level of antibiotic knowledge. The main sources of their antibiotic-related knowledge are doctors, followed by pharmacists. Almost all of them acquire antibiotics with the use of a prescription in community pharmacies. Their reason for choosing their preferred source is based on availability and acceptance by their child. Majority of the mothers children recovered after antibiotic treatment. However, the results revealed that incidences of recurrences were present. Overall the mothers level of antibiotic utilization is low in terms of self medication engagement, medication adherence, and appropriate use. It was found that the level of antibiotic utilization was influenced by personal characteristics, except for employment status; the level of antibiotic knowledge; and, access to antibiotics. However, no significant relationships were found between the level of antibiotic utilization and Childs health outcomes.