Self-medication practice, its causes and risk factors among people in Tehran, Iran: A descriptive-analytic study

Subject Areas :

Hesam Aldin Varpaei ¹ , Pariya Onsori ² , Faeze Esmaeili ³ , Saba Abachi ⁴ , Mohammad Mahdi Miremami ⁵ , Mohammad Yavari ⁶ , Hosein Esmaeili ⁷ , Amir Mahdi Farahani ⁸ , Pedram Nouroozi ⁹ , Ali Kazemi ¹⁰

1 - Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
4 - Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
5 - Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
6 - Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
7 - Young Researcher and Elite Clube, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
8 - Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
9 - Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
10 - Department of Pharmacology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2020-09-02 Accepted : 2020-11-08 Published : 2020-12-20

Keywords: analgesics, public health, Self-medication, chronic disease,

Abstract :

Self-medication practice, unfortunately, is a current issue in different countries. Patterns of self-medication vary among different populations and are influenced by different characteristics. So, this study was aimed at the prevalence of self-medication practice in Tehran. This descriptive-analytic study was performed from Oct 2019 to March 2020 by a researcher-designed questionnaire among people. The main determinants of the questionnaire included personal information, diet pattern, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and self-medication habits. Chi-square and Tukey's post hoc tests were used for statistical analysis of data. Eight hundred people participated in this study. The rate of self-medication was 78% among men and 88% among women. 35.75% of the participants had a chronic illness, and 90% of them had a history of self-medication. A significant correlation between gender and self-medication (p=0.45, r=0.55), also significant correlation between exercise and self-medication (p=0.206, r=0.75), alcohol consumption and self-medication (p=0.37, r=0.19) were not seen. Education and income levels, chronic diseases, history of drug allergies, smoking, and fast-food consumption seem to create self-medication behavior. Having an old doctor's prescription, saving time, as well as advising family members, were the most important reasons for self-medication. The most commonly used medications were analgesics, common cold medicines, and gastrointestinal drugs. Self-medication was mostly used to treat headaches, migraines, and common cold symptoms such as cough and muscle pain.

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