Department of Medical Specialties and Public Health, Preventative Medicine and Public Health Area, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcon, Madrid, Spain.
Eur J Epidemiol. 2024 Sep;39(9):977-990. doi: 10.1007/s10654-024-01153-1. Epub 2024 Sep 18.
Self-medication (SM) forms an important part of public health strategy. Nonetheless, little research has been performed to understand the current state of self-medication in the European Union (EU). Utilizing data from the third wave of the European Health Interview Surveys, this study finds an estimated SM prevalence of 34.3% in the EU (95%CI = 34.1-34.5%; n = 255,758). SM prevalence, as well as SM prevalence inequality between men and women, varies substantially between EU member countries. Via multivariable analysis, we also identify a number of variables associated with SM, most notably the substantial impact of health systems on SM behavior (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 4.00; 95% Confidence Interval [95%CI] = 3.81-4.21). Several demographics are also associated with greater SM prevalence, including those aged 25-44 (versus ages 75+: AOR = 1.21; 95%CI = 1.12-1.31), women (AOR = 1.74; 95%CI = 1.68-1.81), immigrants born in other EU states (AOR = 1.16; 95%CI = 1.04-1.30), those with higher education (AOR = 1.83; 95%CI = 1.60-2.09), and urban dwellers (AOR = 1.14; 95%CI = 1.04-1.30). Additionally, long-standing health problems (AOR = 1.39; 95%CI = 1.33-1.45), visits to doctors (both general practitioners and specialists) (AOR = 1.21, 95%CIs = 1.15-1.26, 1.17-1.26), and unmet needs for health care due to waiting lists (AOR = 1.38; 95%CI = 1.23-1.55) or inability to afford medical examinations/treatment (AOR = 1.27; 95%CI = 1.12-1.42) serve as conditioners for SM. We also find that smoking (AOR = 1.05; 95%CI = 1.01-1.10), vaping (AOR = 1.19; 95%CI = 1.06-1.32), drinking alcohol (AOR = 1.23; 95%CI = 1.19-1.28), and higher levels of physical activity (AOR = 1.27; 95%CI = 1.22-1.32) are factors associated with SM. Analysis of these variables reveals that though women self-medicate more than men, the patterns that govern their consumption are similar.
自我药疗是公共卫生战略的重要组成部分。尽管如此，对于理解欧盟（EU）目前的自我药疗状况的研究却很少。本研究利用来自第三次欧洲健康访谈调查的数据，发现欧盟自我药疗的患病率估计为 34.3%（95%置信区间：34.1-34.5%；n=255758）。自我药疗的患病率，以及男性和女性之间自我药疗的患病率差异，在欧盟成员国之间存在显著差异。通过多变量分析，我们还确定了一些与自我药疗相关的变量，最显著的是卫生系统对自我药疗行为的巨大影响（调整后的优势比[AOR]=4.00；95%置信区间[95%CI]=3.81-4.21）。一些人口统计学特征也与更高的自我药疗患病率相关，包括 25-44 岁（与 75 岁以上相比：AOR=1.21；95%CI=1.12-1.31）、女性（AOR=1.74；95%CI=1.68-1.81）、出生于其他欧盟国家的移民（AOR=1.16；95%CI=1.04-1.30）、接受高等教育的人（AOR=1.83；95%CI=1.60-2.09）和城市居民（AOR=1.14；95%CI=1.04-1.30）。此外，长期存在的健康问题（AOR=1.39；95%CI=1.33-1.45）、看医生（全科医生和专家）（AOR=1.21，95%CI=1.15-1.26，1.17-1.26），以及由于等待名单而未满足的医疗保健需求（AOR=1.38；95%CI=1.23-1.55）或无法负担医疗检查/治疗（AOR=1.27；95%CI=1.12-1.42），这些都成为自我药疗的条件因素。我们还发现，吸烟（AOR=1.05；95%CI=1.01-1.10）、吸电子烟（AOR=1.19；95%CI=1.06-1.32）、饮酒（AOR=1.23；95%CI=1.19-1.28）和更高水平的身体活动（AOR=1.27；95%CI=1.22-1.32）是与自我药疗相关的因素。对这些变量的分析表明，尽管女性自我药疗的比例高于男性，但控制她们消费的模式是相似的。
