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Yin H, Mendelsohn A. Wolf M. Study of parents' liquid medication dosing accuracy and effect of health literacy. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2010; 164(2): 181-186

Parents' dosing accuracy using a range of instruments for measuring out liquid medicines has been assessed in a study, which also sought to determine the extent to which health literacy affects the frequency and magnitude of dosing errors.

Researchers conduced interviews in a public hospital paediatric clinic in New York between October 2008, and December 2008 and enrolled 302 parents of children presenting for care, who were observed for dosing accuracy (5mL dose) using the following set of standardised instruments:

• 2 dosing cups (one with printed calibration markings, other with etched markings
• Dropper
• Dosing spoon
• 2 oral syringes (one with and the other without a bottle adapter)
  

The following findings were reported:

• The percentages of parents dosing accurately (within 20% of recommended dose) were 30.5% using the cup with printed markings, 50.2% using the cup with etched markings, and over 85% with the remaining instruments.
• Large dosing errors were made by 25.8% of parents using the cup with printed markings and 23.3% of parents using the cup with etched markings.
• Cups were associated with increased odds of making a dosing error compared with the oral syringe.
• Compared with the oral syringe, cups were also associated with increased odds of making large dosing errors.
• Limited health literacy was associated with making a dosing error.

The researchers conclude from these findings that “dosing errors by parents were highly prevalent with cups compared with droppers, spoons, or syringes. Strategies to reduce errors should address both accurate use of dosing instruments and health literacy.”

http://tinyurl.com/yz473db