ArticleFrontiers in public health2025
A cross-sectional study on self-medication with over-the-counter drugs among adolescents: an analysis of current practices.
Article in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 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
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Influence of stress and knowledge on self-medication practices among pharmacy students: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Article
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
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Self-medication refers to individuals using over-the-counter (OTC) medications to manage self-diagnosed health issues or symptoms without professional medical guidance. Although OTC medications are generally considered safe and effective, significant knowledge gaps and safety risks persist among adolescents when using these drugs. This study aims to explore the self-medication behaviors of adolescents in China regarding OTC medications and the influencing factors. Objective: This study explores adolescent self-medication strategies for OTC drug use through multi-setting surveys in hospitals, pharmacies, and schools, aiming to enhance understanding of adolescents' medication behaviors and improve awareness of safe medication practices. Methods: This cross-sectional study distributed data via questionnaires from adolescents aged 12 to 18 between August 2023 and August 2024. The questionnaire included demographic information, health status, OTC medication usage patterns, motivations for use, knowledge of OTC drugs, and purchasing behaviors. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed, and after logical consistency checks, 573 valid questionnaires were included in the final analysis. Results: The study found that 97.5% of adolescents used OTC medications in the past year, with 52.5% using them 1-2 times, 31% using them 3-5 times, and 14% using them more than 5 times. However, 23.75% lacked knowledge of proper usage, 25.67% misunderstood antibiotic use, 6.67% were unaware of adverse reactions, and 9.17% did not recognize Traditional Chinese Medicine side effects. Conclusion: This study highlights common self-medication among adolescents with significant knowledge gaps on OTC drugs and side effects. It calls for better health education, especially in schools, and a more active role for pharmacists and healthcare professionals. Regulatory bodies should enhance oversight, and future research should explore OTC traditional Chinese medicines and social adaptability.
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.