Overview Of Toddlers Diarrhea Self-Medication At Pharmacy “X”, Sidoarjo, January-March 2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33759/jrki.v8i2.899Keywords:
Diarrhea, Diarrhea Medicine, Pharmacy, Self-medication, ToddlerAbstract
Diarrhea is one of the common health problems in toddlers and is often treated through self-medication by the community. Choosing the right medicine is very important to avoid complications, considering the low immune system of toddlers and the potential risks of using drugs without a doctor's prescription. This study used a qualitative descriptive design, the study was conducted at the "X" Pharmacy, Sidoarjo District, Sidoarjo Regency from January to March 2025. The sample consisted of 90 parents/caregivers of toddlers who bought diarrhea medicine for their children and met the inclusion criteria. The results showed that the types of drugs most often chosen for self-medication for diarrhea in toddlers were probiotics (46%), zinc supplements (41%), oralit (11%), and a combination of kaolin-pectin (2%). The characteristics of the respondents were mostly aged 20-25 years and had a high school or diploma education level. The choice of diarrhea medicine in self-medication in toddlers was dominated by the use of probiotics and zinc, in accordance with the recommendations of the Indonesian Ministry of Health in handling diarrhea. However, there is still a need to improve education to the public regarding the rational use of drugs and clinical indications for giving antibiotics. An active role is needed for health workers, especially pharmacists, in providing accurate information to the public to prevent the negative impacts of inappropriate self-medication.
Downloads
References
Tan L, Chen Y, Gu M, et al. Self-medication among university students in Guangdong province, China: a cross-sectional study using the KAP model. Front Public Health. 2025;13. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2025.1601731
Setiadi AP, Wibowo YI, Setiawan E, Mulyono I, Wardhani SA, Sunderland B. Strategies to implement community training to promote responsible self-medication in Indonesia: a qualitative study of trainers. Int Health. 2022;14(4):398-404. doi:10.1093/inthealth/ihz115
Muliyani M, Isnani N, Aulya NA. GAMBARAN PENGGUNAAN SWAMEDIKASI OBAT SISTEM PENCERNAAN DI APOTEK FORMULA BANJARMASIN. J Insan Farm Indones. 2021;4(2):275-283. doi:10.36387/jifi.v4i2.832
Mehta RK, Sharma S. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Self-Medication among Medical Students.
Zheng Z, Feng Z, Zhang D, et al. Does self-medication reduce medical expenditure among the middle-aged and elderly population? A four-wave longitudinal study in China. Front Public Health. 2023;10:1047710. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1047710
Nuzhat S, Islam MR, Fidah MFA, et al. Maternal knowledge, attitude and practice regarding commercial oral rehydration salt solution: experience from a diarrhoeal disease hospital in Bangladesh. BMJ Paediatr Open. 2025;9(1). doi:10.1136/bmjpo-2024-003299
Nasif H, Dillasamola D, Sanjaya W, Juwita DA. Pharmacist Recommendations for Non-Infectious Diarrhea Self-Medication: A Study in Padang, Indonesia. J Public Health Pharm. 2025;5(2):237-249. doi:10.56338/jphp.v5i2.5854
Carter E, Bryce J, Perin J, Newby H. Harmful practices in the management of childhood diarrhea in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2015;15(1):788. doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2127-1
Black RE, Perin J, Yeung D, et al. Estimated global and regional causes of deaths from diarrhoea in children younger than 5 years during 2000–21: a systematic review and Bayesian multinomial analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2024;12(6):e919-e928. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00078-0
Hartman RM, Cohen AL, Antoni S, et al. Risk Factors for Mortality Among Children Younger Than Age 5 Years With Severe Diarrhea in Low- and Middle-income Countries: Findings From the World Health Organization-coordinated Global Rotavirus and Pediatric Diarrhea Surveillance Networks. Clin Infect Dis. 2023;76(3):e1047-e1053. doi:10.1093/cid/ciac561
Sartika AN, Khoirunnisa M, Meiyetriani E, Ermayani E, Pramesthi IL, Nur Ananda AJ. Prenatal and postnatal determinants of stunting at age 0–11 months: A cross-sectional study in Indonesia. Wilunda C, ed. PLOS ONE. 2021;16(7):e0254662. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0254662
Purnama TB, Wagatsuma K, Saito R. Prevalence and risk factors of acute respiratory infection and diarrhea among children under 5 years old in low-middle wealth household, Indonesia. Infect Dis Poverty. 2025;14(1):13. doi:10.1186/s40249-025-01286-9
Wolf J, Johnston RB, Ambelu A, et al. Burden of disease attributable to unsafe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene in domestic settings: a global analysis for selected adverse health outcomes. The Lancet. 2023;401(10393):2060-2071. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00458-0
Wolf J, Hubbard S, Brauer M, et al. Effectiveness of interventions to improve drinking water, sanitation, and handwashing with soap on risk of diarrhoeal disease in children in low-income and middle-income settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet. 2022;400(10345):48-59. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00937-0
Jones A, Ahmed SM, Platts-Mills JA, et al. Etiology of Severely Dehydrating Diarrheal Illness in Infants and Young Children Residing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2024;11(11):ofae619. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofae619
Puteri AD, Syahfitri CA, Isnaeni LiMA, Yuristin D. Faktor-faktor Penyebab Kejadian Diare pada Balita di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Air Tiris. KOLONI. 2025;4(1):17-27. doi:10.31004/koloni.v4i1.692
Utami KY, Armerinayanti NW, Lely AAO. Gambaran Kejadian Diare pada Balita di Rumah Sakit Umum Daerah Wangaya Denpasar. Aesculapius Med J. 2023;3(3):309-315. doi:10.22225/amj.3.3.2023.309-315
Manfredi M, Marcianò G, Iuliano S, Leo F, Gallelli L. Racecadotril in the management of diarrhea: an underestimated therapeutic option? Ther Adv Gastroenterol. 2025;18:17562848241310423. doi:10.1177/17562848241310423
Legesse BT, Wondie WT, Gedefaw GD, Workineh YT, Seifu BL. Coutilisation of oral rehydration solution and zinc for treating diarrhoea and its associated factors among under-five children in East Africa: a multilevel robust Poisson regression. BMJ Open. 2024;14(3):e079618. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079618
Tiwari R, Tickell KD, Yoshioka E, et al. Lactoferrin and lysozyme to promote nutritional, clinical and enteric recovery: a protocol for a factorial, blinded, placebo-controlled randomised trial among children with diarrhoea and malnutrition (the Boresha Afya trial). BMJ Open. 2024;14(8):e079448. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079448
Tam E, Keats EC, Rind F, Das JK, Bhutta ZA. Micronutrient Supplementation and Fortification Interventions on Health and Development Outcomes among Children Under-Five in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2020;12(2):289. doi:10.3390/nu12020289
Meyer R, Arpe L, Kansu A, et al. Gastrointestinal changes in paediatric malnutrition that may impact on nutrition choice. Front Pediatr. 2025;13. doi:10.3389/fped.2025.1523613
Silalahi DK, Wulandari RA. Dampak Faktor Lingkungan terhadap Kejadian Diare di Provinsi Sumatera Utara: Analisis Data Survei Kesehatan Indonesia. J Ilm Kesehat Masy Media Komun Komunitas Kesehat Masy. 2024;16(4):204-211. doi:10.52022/jikm.v16i4.705
Nasel F, Mutmainah S. HUBUNGAN TINGKAT PENGETAHUAN TERHADAP PERILAKU SWAMEDIKASI DIARE NON SPESIFIK PADA ANAK DI APOTEK K-24 AKSES UI DEPOK. J Farmapedia Pharmapedia J. 2023;1(2):42-49. Accessed November 5, 2025. https://ejournalfarmapedia.sttif.ac.id/index.php/farmapedia/article/view/8
Wulandari H, Dewi NMAR, Hasina R. Gambaran tingkat pengetahuan swamedikasi obat diare pada warga Desa Hidirasa Kecamatan Wera Kabupaten Bima. Sasambo J Pharm. 2023;4(1):30-33. doi:10.29303/sjp.v4i1.187
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Jurnal Riset Kefarmasian Indonesia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
