ArticleRisk management and healthcare policy2013
Over-the-counter medication patterns in households in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Article in Risk management and healthcare policy, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of drug disposal in the United Arab Emirates.Journal of public health research · 2026Article
- Evaluating consumer self-medication practices, pharmaceutical care services, and pharmacy selection: a quantitative study.BMC health services research · 2024Article
- Use patterns of over-the-counter (OTC) medications and perspectives on OTC medications among Korean adult patients with chronic diseases: gender and age differences.Patient preference and adherence · 2018Article
- Consumers' Perceptions About Pharmaceutical Care Provided by Community Pharmacists in China in Relation to Over-the-Counter Drugs: A Qualitative Study.Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financingArticle
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5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundSelf-medication and acquisition of over-the-counter (OTC) medications are emerging community health issues. Besides being a cheap alternative for treating common illnesses, the behavior entails serious ramifications, such as medication wastage, increasing pathogen resistance, and adverse drug reactions. The present study was conducted to explore the extent of OTC medications in households in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), including native UAE and expatriate families.
methodsThe study employed a population-based, cross-sectional, analytical study design. The study population included native and expatriate households residing in the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE. The snowball sampling technique was used, and the sample included a total of 335 households.
resultsExpatriate households acquired more OTC medications than did native households (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.7). The demographic determinants for expatriate households were number of family members (aOR=1.6), age of children in the family (aOR=1.8), and annual income (aOR=0.5). Expatriate households purchased more OTC medication practices than did native households (aOR=2.2). In the statistical sense, expatriate household practices were buying medication upon relatives' advice (aOR=0.3), storage condition of medication (aOR=2.4), and disposal of expired medication (aOR=0.6). The highest percentages of OTC medications in native and expatriate households were those related to gastric and ear, nose, and throat illnesses.
conclusionThe presence of OTC medications in expatriate households was two-fold more common than in native households in Sharjah, UAE. There were significant associations for behaviors related to the reasons why OTC medications were purchased and stored within the household for both native and expatriate families.
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