E-DRUG: Overuse of antipyretics drugs in children (2)
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Dear Dr.Thierry Dzukou,
It is quite evident that fever accounts for a relevant portion of the
children's care and that parents AND CHILDREN perceptions about fever do
influence the attitudes toward it. A multidisciplinary group of
scientist -from clinical pharmacology and paediatrics to anthropology
and sociology- have been -and still are- working on children and parents
perceptions about health, diseases and medications in a cross-cultural
perspective within the European Union.
The results of the first study are published in two books:
- Childhood and Medicine Use in Cross-Cultural Perspective: A European
concerted action. Trakas, D and Sanz E. Editors. European Commission. DG
XII Euro-Report EUR 16646EN. Luxembourg, 1996. and
- "Children, Medicines and Culture" Bush P, Trakas D, Sanz E, et al.
Editors. The Haworth Press, Binghamton, New York, 1996).
In the latest there is a chapter on "Perceptions and treatment of
childhood fever in Athens, Chapel Hill, Jyv�skyl�, Madrid and Tenerife".
Vaskilampi T., Garcia M., Sanz E., Almarsdottir A., Aramburuzabala P.,
Kalpio O, Botsi C. and Trakas D. I can supply a copy of the chapter by
Fax if you wish so. There are big differences in families of different
countries in Europe about the temperature from which fever is considered
as relevant, or about the familiar versus medical management of fever...
I suppose that the differences between EU countries and African
countries would be even greater, but I think this kind of qualitative
analysis is also important before deciding any intervention at home.
On the other hand I'm coordinating an international cooperative study on
drug use in out-patient children in more than 20 locations all around
the world. It is based on a random sample of pediatricians (or GP) -
Children (parents) interactions with data on personal ID, diagnosis,
treatment and indications. If you feel like taking part on the study I
would very happily send you the complete information and package.
Best regards,
Emilio J. Sanz, MD, PhD
Assoc. Prof. in Clinical Pharmacology
School of Medicine
University of La Laguna
38071 La Laguna, Tenerife. Canary Islands
Spain
NEW TELEPHONE: +34 22 319347
Fax: +34 22 655995
email: esanz@ull.es
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