ArticleBMC public health2012
Self-medication in university students from the city of Rio Grande, Brazil.
Article in BMC public health, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 55 papers.
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Who cites it
55 citing papers in PubMed, 175 citations in OpenAlex.
- Knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacy students compared to other medical fields students regarding self-medication with OTC medicines in kosovo: a cross-sectional study.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Assessment of factors associated with self-medication practices during the COVID-19 pandemic in southwestern Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional survey.BMC infectious diseases · 2024Article
- Key modifiable risk factors for self-medication among university students: An observational study.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2024Article
- Self-medication practices among university students at a public university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2024Article
- Knowledge attitude and convenience on self-medication practices among university students in Bangladesh exploration using structural equation modeling approach.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- The prevalence and causes of self-medication among medical university students in Iran during COVID-19 outbreak and its implications for public health and health systems: A cross-sectional study.Health science reports · 2024Article
- Knowledge and attitudes toward over-the-counter medications among pharmacy students: insights from a cross-sectional study in Taif University, Saudi Arabia.Frontiers in medicine · 2024Article
- Self-medication practice among the general public in Jordan: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- A Comparative Piloting of Determinants of Self-Medication Among University Students in the MENA Region; UAE and Jordan as an Example.Patient preference and adherence · 2023Article
- [Evaluation of self-medication practices and their characteristics among Uvira in Democratic Republic of Congo students].The Pan African medical journal · 2023Article
- Prevalence of self-medication among the elderly: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of education and health promotion · 2023Review
- Factors Associated with Self-Medication during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Pakistan.Tropical medicine and infectious disease · 2022Article
- Self-medication practices and their characteristics among Iranian university students.BMC pharmacology & toxicology · 2022Article
- Bringing Medicine from Pakistan and Self-Medication Among Pakistani Mothers in New Zealand.Journal of immigrant and minority health · 2022Article
- Over-the-Counter Medicine Attitudes and Knowledge among University and College Students in Brunei Darussalam: Findings from the First National Survey.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Self-Medication Perceptions and Practice of Medical and Pharmacy Students in Serbia.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Self-Medication Practices in Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- Behavioural Response To Self-Medication Practice Before and During Covid-19 Pandemic in Western Uganda.Patient preference and adherence · 2022Article
- The Reasons for Self-Medication from the Perspective of Iranian Nursing Students: A Qualitative Study.Nursing research and practice · 2022Article
- Knowledge, attitudes and practice of self-medication among university students in Portugal: A cross-sectional study.Nordisk alkohol- & narkotikatidskrift : NAT · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSelf-medication is the use of medication without prescription, orientation, or supervision of a physician or dentist. Self-medication might become a serious health problem. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence and factors associated with self-medication among first and last-year students enrolled in healthcare and non-healthcare programs.
methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Of 830 students in the sample, 95% answered the questionnaire - 789 students enrolled in 10 undergraduate programs. Mean age was 22 ± 6.17 years. The students answered a questionnaire covering socio-economic and demographic variables, use of medication, and medication knowledge. Information was collected on the conditions treated with medication, the medications used, and attitude towards self-medication.
resultsOf 789 students, 86.4% self-medicated (88.5% of 446 healthcare students). There were no significant differences in self-medication between healthcare and non-healthcare students, nor between first and last-year students. Bivariate and multivariate analyses showed a significant association between self-medication and having children (p = 0.01), having a home pharmacy (p < 0.001) and adequate medication knowledge (p = 0.01). The most frequently used active ingredients were acetaminophen (paracetamol), dipyrone, aspirin, phytotherapic compounds, and tea. Illicit drug use was significantly associated with self-medication in the multivariate analysis.
conclusionThe fact that being a healthcare student was associated with higher medication knowledge, but not with less self-medication, suggests that medication knowledge might contribute to increase self-medication. This should be taken into account when designing educational interventions relating to self-medication.
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