ArticleBMJ open2023
Self-medication among adults with chronic health conditions: a population-based cross-sectional survey in Saudi Arabia.
Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.
- When medical knowledge is not enough: medication adherence and self-treatment among physicians with chronic illness in Upper Egypt.Discover mental health · 2026Article
- Self-medication before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Türkiye: evidence from national health surveys.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Article
- Self-medication practices in the UAE: prevalence, determinants, public awareness, and the impact of an educational intervention on safe medication use.Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice · 2026Article
- Counteracting HPV Cervical and Anal Infection through Dietary Supplementation of EGCG, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 and Hyaluronic Acid: Clinical Case Reports.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Article
- Navigating the Multidimensional Impact of Living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: An In-Depth Netnographic Study on Social Media Platforms.Dermatology and therapy · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThis study aimed to assess the prevalence of self-medication (SM), the reasons for SM and the relationship between chronic health conditions and SM among adult individuals.
settingThis was an online questionnaire-based cross-sectional study disseminated on different social media platforms in Saudi Arabia.
participantsSaudi Arabia sample of adult individuals aged 18 and above. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was SM, measured using the following question: 'During the past 6 months, have you used any medicines or dietary supplements, or herbal medicines or vitamins not prescribed or recommended by a doctor?' A positive answer indicates a self-medicated participant.
resultsOut of 1645 individuals who viewed the study link, 1295 participants completed the survey with a response rate of 95.1%. Overall, 989 (76.4%) participants reported practicing SM in the past 6 months. SM was higher among younger participants, women, those with higher education levels and high income, and working in the health field. About 198 (73.3%) who have chronic conditions practised SM for chronic health conditions, such as (hypertension and hypercholesterolemia). Previous experience with the same illness (n=530, 25.7%) and attempting to save time (n=466, 22.6%) were the main reasons behind SM, according to the participants. Adverse drug events were reported by 204 (20.6%) of self-medicating individuals and 274 (64.9%) of them reported discontinuing SM.
conclusionsThe findings of this study indicate a high prevalence rate of SM among the adult population in Saudi Arabia. Individuals with chronic health conditions reported a high rate of SM. Launching public education campaigns to improve public awareness of the harms of SM if misused, especially among those with chronic health conditions, is essential.
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