ReviewFrontiers in public health2016
Observations on the Prevalence, Characteristics, and Effects of Self-Treatment.
Review in Frontiers in public health, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed.
- The Effect of an Educational Intervention on Self-Care in Patients with Venous Leg Ulcers-A Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Clinical presentations, complications, and outcomes of benoxinate topical ophthalmic anesthetic abuse: a retrospective cohort study.Journal of ophthalmic inflammation and infection · 2026Article
- Home-based self-management using Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques: empowerment and risks in breast cancer survivors' fulfillment of health-deviation self-care requisites.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2026Article
- Self-care strategies and interventions to address antimicrobial resistance: evidence review and recommendations for national programs, service providers, caregivers, and self-carers.Frontiers in public health · 2026Review
- Self-Medication as a Type of Nonadherence in Cardiac Patients Over 50 Years of Age.Current pharmaceutical design · 2026Article
- Self-diagnosis and self-medication based on internet search among Non-Medical University students of Karachi.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2024Article
- Total expenditure elasticity of spending on self-treatment and professional healthcare: a case of Russia.International journal of health economics and management · 2024Article
- Frequency and causes of self-medication in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, North of Iran, 2018-2019.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2022Article
- Does self-medication reduce medical expenditure among the middle-aged and elderly population? A four-wave longitudinal study in China.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- The Impact of Consequences Awareness of Public Environment on Medicine Return Behavior: A Moderated Chain Mediation Model.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Socioeconomic Determinants of Health Contributing to the Consumption of Nonprescribed Medicines in Ethiopia.Patient preference and adherence · 2021Article
- How and to what extent can pensions facilitate increased use of health services by older people: evidence from social pension expansion in rural China.BMC health services research · 2020Article
- Prevalence and Associated Factors of Self-Treatment among the Elderly-A Comparative Study between Empty and Non-Empty Nesters in Shandong, China.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
- Combining Microfinance and Health in Reducing Poverty-Driven Healthcare Costs: Evidence From the Philippines.Frontiers in public health · 2020Review
- Article
- Use of high-level health facilities and catastrophic expenditure in Vietnam: can health insurance moderate this relationship?BMC health services research · 2019Article
- Article
- Article
- Adverse Reactions from Topical Ophthalmic Anesthetic Abuse.Journal of ophthalmic & vision researchArticle
- MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING PATHOLOGICAL EVIDENCE IN PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA.Journal of the West African College of SurgeonsArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
Abstract
aimsWhen facing illness, a person may choose self-treatment as an alternative to hospital (and primary care)-based treatment. Despite its important role in health care, the study on self-treatment remains limited. The goal is to collectively report the observations in the literature on the prevalence, characteristics, and effects of self-treatment.
methodsDatabases (Medline/PubMed and Google Scholar) were searched. Articles were scrutinized for country of origin, sample size, recall period, prevalence, associated factors, etc.
resultsPublished studies have reported that in some regions, the prevalence of self-treatment is high and varies across illness conditions and treatment approaches. Self-medication is the most popular self-treatment approach. Multiple regional, demographic, personal, cultural, and religious factors have been implicated in the pursuit of self-treatment. In addition, accessibility of health care also plays a role. In general, self-treatment has a positive clinical and financial effect. However, there have been concerns on abuse and possible negative effects.
conclusionThis article reviews observations made in recent studies on several important aspects of self-treatment. Comprehensive and systematic study is still lacking. Interventions are needed to solve several problems associated with self-treatment.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.