Influence of Attitudes, Beliefs, and Social Factors on Caregivers' Decisions onthe Use of OTC Medications in Preschool Children

摘要

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to determine the extentthat social factors, health beliefs, and attitudes influenced caregiver's decisions in home management with over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Home management decisions were studied in relation to seeking professional care. The association of parents' decisions concerning OTC medications with social factors, as well as beliefs and attitudes related to illness, susceptibility and severity, and medication effectiveness was examined. A theoretical framework based on the Health Belief Model (Rosenstock, 1974) guided the conceptualization of this