Parental symptoms and children's use of medicine for headache: data reported by parents from five Nordic countries

Anette Andersen, Bjørn E Holstein, Leeni Berntsson, Ebba Holme Hansen

    Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

    Abstract

    OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between parent's headache and symptom load and children's medicine use, and whether these associations are robust across countries and socio-demographic strata. METHODS: The study population included random samples of children from age 2 to 17 in five Nordic countries (participation rate 67.6%, n = 10,317). Outcome measure was child's medicine use for headache. Determinants were the mother's and father's headache and symptom load. Analyses were stratified by country, age group and socio-economic status. RESULTS: The prevalence of children's medicine use varied across countries between 13.7 and 21.3%. Girls' medicine use for headache was associated with mother's headache (OR = 2.00), father's headache (OR = 1.85), mother's symptom load (OR = 1.84) and father's symptom load (OR = 1.48). Boys' medicine use was only associated with mothers' headache (OR = 1.68) and symptom load (OR = 1.51). Associations remained significant after adjustment for the child's headache and were robust across countries and socio-demographic strata. CONCLUSIONS: Parents' symptom experience seems to influence their children's medicine use over and above medicine use indicated by symptoms. Two potential explanations are suggested: a socialization pathway and/or a pathway through adverse living conditions.
    OriginalsprogEngelsk
    TidsskriftInternational Journal of Public Health (Print Edition)
    Vol/bind57
    Udgave nummer1
    Sider (fra-til)217-223
    ISSN1661-8556
    DOI
    StatusUdgivet - 2012

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