Don't ask, don't tell: parental nondisclosure of complementary and alternative medicine and over-the-counter medication use in children's asthma management.
BACKGROUND
Parent-health care provider (HCP) communication is an important component of pediatric asthma management. Given the high prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and over-the-counter (OTC) medication use among this population, it is important to examine parental nondisclosure of these asthma management strategies.


METHODS
One-time interview and 1-year retrospective medical record review with 228 parents of 5- to 12-year-old children with asthma enrolled from six pediatric primary care practices examining parental nondisclosure of CAM and OTC medication use, reasons for nondisclosure, medical record documentation of CAM usage, and association between parent-HCP relationship and nondisclosure.


RESULTS
Seventy-one percent of parents reported using CAM and/or OTC medication for children's asthma management, and 54% of those parents did not disclose usage. Seventy-five percent "did not think" to discuss it. Better parent-HCP relationship led to decreased nondisclosure.


CONCLUSIONS
HCPs can play an important role in creating an environment where parents feel comfortable sharing information about their children's asthma management strategies in order to arrive at a shared asthma management plan for the child, leading to improved asthma health outcomes.
Sidora-Arcoleo
Kimberly
K
Arizona State University College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation, Phoenix, Arizona 85004, USA. kimberly.arcoleo@asu.edu
Yoos
H Lorrie
HL
Kitzman
Harriet
H
McMullen
Ann
A
Anson
Elizabeth
E
D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D030881:Disclosure; D006801:Humans; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D010290:Parents
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs