Medicalização infantil em consulta de saúde: sinônimo de qualidade e satisfação?

Abstract

The drug has a symbolic meaning, which exposes the yearning to change the natural course of the disease. The use of non-prescription medicines in pediatrics is dangerous and can bring consequences, thus, professional consultation is essential for the evaluation of the child and his/her health needs, and medication prescription is not necessarily an irredeemable standard; however, it is undeniable that health professionals can be influenced by the expectations of parents and children themselves regarding prescription of drugs. This study aims to analyze the perception of mothers and professionals regarding the satisfaction of the child's health consultation, conditioned to drug’s prescription. It is a research with deductive method, explanatory, qualitative and quantitative and field character, was carried out in two Basic Units of Health of the Family - UBSF in Campina Grande – PB, the population was composed of those responsible for children up to 12 years old, as well as, doctors and nurses who attend children, the instruments of data collection were two questionnaires, and the method chosen for the discussion and inference of the data was the thematic categorical analysis of Bardin. By analyzing the results, some categories emerged for discussion, such as the medicalization of children without a proper indication, in which most parents/guardians stated that they have medicalized their children without the guidance of a trained professional; in relation to the satisfaction of the consultation through drug-free therapy, half of the interviewees would be satisfied; most of the professionals have already been pressured to prescribe, and a small number of those responsible have already taken prescription drugs. It was possible to perceive that the professionals do not act under the influence of the clients, and the parents/guardians have a discernment regarding the objective of the child's health consultation, not having the same proportion with respect to the acceptance of a drug-free therapy.