Changes in Provider Perceptions and Practices Regarding Dosing Units for Oral Liquid Medications
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2024
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Source: Acad Pediatr. 24(4):627-632
Details:
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Alternative Title:Acad Pediatr
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Personal Author:
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Description:Objective:
A 2015 survey of primary care providers (PCPs) found that while many believed that milliliter (mL)-only dosing was safest for oral liquid medications, few would use mL alone in dosing instructions. Since 2015, many recommendations have promoted “mL-only” dosing. In 2019, a follow-up survey was conducted to assess if PCP perceptions and practices have changed.
Methods:
Pediatricians, family medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, and internists participating in the 2015 and 2019 DocStyles cross-sectional, web-based surveys were asked about their perceptions and practices regarding dosing units for oral liquid medications.
Results:
In 2019, among 1392 respondents, the proportion of PCPs who reported they believed using mL-only is the safest dosing instruction ranged from 55.1% of internists to 80.8% of pediatricians. While fewer PCPs believed patients/caregivers prefer dosing instructions in mL-only (23.9% of nurse practitioners to 48.4% of pediatricians), more held this belief in 2019 compared to 2015; pediatricians had the greatest absolute increase (+14.4%) and family medicine physicians had the smallest increase (+1.3%). While 61.6% of pediatricians reported they would use mL-only dosing, only 36.0% of internists, 36.6% of nurse practitioners, and 42.5% of family medicine physicians reported they would do so. After controlling for age, gender, region, and specialty, 2019 PCP survey participants were more likely to report that they would use mL-only dosing compared to 2015 participants (adjusted odds ratio 1.51, 95% confidence interval 1.29–1.77).
Conclusions:
Broader educational efforts may be necessary to reach non-pediatricians, to encourage prescribing and communication with patients/caregivers using mL-only dosing.
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Source:
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Pubmed ID:37666391
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Pubmed Central ID:PMC10919552
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Funding:
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Volume:24
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Issue:4
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Supporting Files:No Additional Files