Assessment of Caregiver’S Perception Towards Respiratory Diseases Therapy In Pediatric Department Of A Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital

Respiratory diseases remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children especially among children less than five years old. To study the prescribing pattern and assess caregiver’s perception about pediatric respiratory disease therapy by using questionnaires. A prospective observational study was carried out for a total of 225 cases of inpatients in pediatric department and caregivers were assessed regarding pediatric respiratory disease therapy by questionnaires. We observed that Majority of the pediatric patients were diagnosed with LRTI 95(42.2%), followed by ARI 60(26.7%), URTI 36(16.0%), Fever and cough 15(6.8%) Pneumonia 11(4.9%), Asthma 3(1.3%), Bronchiolitis and Chronic cough 02(0.8%). Most of the drugs prescribed were Bronchodilators (36.5%). Among Bronchodilators SABA 258(81.6%) were prescribed more in number in which salbutamol were prescribed more (77.5%). Majority of the antibiotics prescribed were Cephalosporin’s (58.8%), and among Corticosteroid’s Budesonide were prescribed more i.e. (26.32%). Most of the caregivers given formulation preference towards nebulization i.e. (61.4%). Almost (44.5%) of caregivers felt that usage of the nebulizers was easy. Out of 225 caregivers about 88% of the caregivers were satisfied with their child’s treatment. Educational interventions must be implemented for health care professionals for more appropriate and cost effective prescribing. A separate parent education program also should be conducted to bring awareness regarding respiratory disease in parents/ caregivers. This will ensure rational use of drugs in pediatric Respiratory diseases and there by improve quality of life.