ArticleRisk management and healthcare policy2021
The Use of Over-The-Counter (OTC) Medications by University Students During Examinations in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Article in Risk management and healthcare policy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed.
- Out-of-pocket expenditures on over-the-counter medications: a cross-sectional study of consumer spending patterns.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Resolution of signs and symptoms of illnesses among self-medicating undergraduate students of Mbarara University of Science and Technology: a cross-sectional study.Journal of pharmaceutical health care and sciences · 2025Article
- Relationship of Reduced Pain Intensity and Improved Quality-of-Life with Menstrual Migraine with Aspirin, Acetaminophen, and Caffeine Combination.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Article
- Key modifiable risk factors for self-medication among university students: An observational study.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2024Article
- Exogenous Melatonin Use in University Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey.Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) · 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
- Do Pictograms on Medication Packages Cause People to Consult Package Inserts Less Often? If so, With What Consequences?Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Utilization of Over-the-Counter Painkillers Among Medical Students During Academic Examinations.Cureus · 2023Article
- Article
- Over-the-Counter Medication Use among Parents in Saudi Arabia.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Factors That Influence the Use of Dietary Supplements among the Students of Wroclaw Medical University in Poland during the COVID-19 Pandemic.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Self-medication Patterns and Knowledge Among Undergraduate Health Sciences Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.SAGE open nursingArticle
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeDuring examinations, many students use various over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to improve their concentration or treat exam-related medical symptoms. The purpose of this study was to scrutinize the use of OTC drugs during examinations in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND
methodsA cross-sectional study was designed, consisting of online, self-administered questionnaires comprising 27 items, including the awareness, knowledge, and attitude of students toward OTC drug use during examinations. A logistic regression model was fitted to determine factors that predict OTC drug use. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS).
resultsA total of 463 (92.6%) completed questionnaires were received from 500 recruited participants. Among participants, 58.5% were women, 47.9% were 22 years or older and completing their final year of study, and 44.1% of students preferred not to disclose their monthly income. The most common cause (35.6%) for OTC drug use during the examination period was headache, followed by pain (21%), fever (16.6%), and cough (8.2%). The most commonly used medication were painkillers, antipyretics, cough and cold medications, and vitamins (57.2%, 16.4%, 11%, and 7.3%, respectively). Male students showed a significant lack of awareness and knowledge regarding the safety and reasons for OTC drug use compared with their female counterparts and were less likely to read the medication leaflet before use (p < 0.001, odds ratio [OR]: 0.36, confidence interval [CI]: 0.23-0.57) and did not know which drugs require prescriptions (p < 0.001, OR: 0.41, CI: 0.27-0.63). Other significant factors that predicted OTC drug use included age, university level, and drug income.
conclusionThe most common reported cause for OTC drug use during examinations among students was headache. Sex, age, university level, and monthly income were significant factors affecting OTC drug use during examinations.
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