Probiotics: Popping the Prevalence and Parental Perspective

The aim of this project was to evaluate parental knowledge and opinions on the use of probiotics in children, specifically comparing those attending an allergy or gastroenterology clinic with parents of other paediatric patients. A survey containing nine items was administered to a convenience sample of parents in the inpatient and outpatient departments at the Children’s Hospital for Wales. The questions were asked face to face by one observer; answers were recorded anonymously on a tablet computer using the online survey tool KwikSurveys. A total of 304 parents completed the survey. Overall, 53.9% of parents knew what probiotics were, 75.3% thought that they could improve a child’s health and 53.6% had given their child probiotics. In the cohort attending allergy or gastroenterology clinics, 64.2% had given their child probiotics, compared with 50.2% of the remaining participants (OR 1.78; 95% CI 1.01, 3.12). Healthcare professionals were 13% more likely to recommend the use of a probiotic to a parent in this cohort. In conclusion, awareness and knowledge of probiotics was reasonable among parents, and most thought that they could improve a child’s health. Parents were more likely to give their child probiotics if they attended an allergy or gastroenterology clinic. 

Keywords:  Probiotics, Allergy, Gastroenterology