Kokabisaghi Fatemeh, Emadi Mina Sadat Mousavi, Tajik Amirmohammad, Sharifi Farshad, Houshmand Elaheh, Varmaghani Mehdi
Social Determinants of Health Research Center Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Mashhad Iran.
Department of Health Economics and Management Sciences, School of Health Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Mashhad Iran.
Health Sci Rep. 2024 Mar 21;7(3):e1983. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.1983. eCollection 2024 Mar.
Self-medication is a worldwide phenomenon that brings advantages and disadvantages to public health and health systems. This study investigated the extent and causes of self-medication among medical university students and its implications for public health in Iran in 2020.
The present study was designed as a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study that examined the knowledge, attitude, and practice of self-medication. The population of the study was the students of health sciences programs who all entered the study. The data collection tool included a questionnaire designed online and available to students. The content validity ratio of the questionnaire was 0.84, and the alpha Cronbach coefficient was calculated at 0.8936.
The prevalence of self-medication among medical university students was 19%. The most common reason for self-medication was the safety of medicines (66.67%). The most usual form of medication used was the tablet (35.67%), the most common drug taken was acetaminophen (69.01%), and the most common disease to self-medicate for was headache (67.36%). Estimating the odds ratio of self-medication with demographic variables showed no relationship. However, after adjusting the variables, age and type of degree showed an association with self-medication, as the older participants and postgraduate students had positive attitudes toward self-medication.
Self-medication may be helpful, but it often needs proper guidance and logic and can carry various risks. Considering that medical sciences students will be influential in society in the future, it is necessary to pay more attention to correcting their drug use culture and providing access to health services for everyone. Appropriate prescription of medicines, controlling drug sales in pharmacies, highlighting the role of pharmacists in safe self-medication, and controlling the prevalence of self-medication is necessary.
自我药疗是一种全球现象，给公众健康和卫生系统带来了利弊。本研究调查了2020年伊朗医科大学学生自我药疗的程度、原因及其对公众健康的影响。
本研究设计为一项描述性分析横断面研究，考察自我药疗的知识、态度和行为。研究对象为健康科学专业的学生，他们均参与了研究。数据收集工具包括一份在线设计的问卷，供学生使用。问卷的内容效度比为0.84，α克朗巴赫系数计算为0.8936。
医科大学学生自我药疗的患病率为19%。自我药疗最常见的原因是药物安全性（66.67%）。最常用的药物剂型是片剂（35.67%），最常服用的药物是对乙酰氨基酚（69.01%），自我药疗最常见的疾病是头痛（67.36%）。估计自我药疗与人口统计学变量的比值比显示无关联。然而，在对变量进行调整后，年龄和学位类型与自我药疗存在关联，因为年龄较大的参与者和研究生对自我药疗持积极态度。
自我药疗可能有帮助，但通常需要适当的指导和逻辑，且可能带来各种风险。鉴于医科学生未来将在社会中发挥影响力，有必要更加重视纠正他们的用药文化，并为每个人提供获得卫生服务的机会。合理开药、控制药店药品销售、突出药剂师在安全自我药疗中的作用以及控制自我药疗的患病率是必要的。
