[Use of medication among hospital workers]

Although medication is acknowledged as a key element in treating health problems, there is little information available on the use of medication by hospital workers. To estimate the prevalence and describe the patterns of medication consumption by hospital workers and to identify the factors associated with such consumption in this population, data from the "PROSEC" baseline cohort were analyzed (n=417). The prevalence of overall medication consumption was 72.4%, most of which was for nervous complaints (25.4%), especially analgesics (17.8%). Use of any amount of medication was independently associated with gender, number of medically diagnosed conditions and health problem in the two weeks prior to the interview. Use of a drug was significantly associated with income whereas self-diagnosed health problems were independently related with the use of two or more pharmaceutical products. The high prevalence of medication usage in this population, with analgesics being the most consumed medication, should be seen as a cause for concern, since many consumers are unaware that these products are not exempt from risk. Women and individuals in poor health are the main candidates for intervention programs in order to promote adequate and proper use of these pharmaceutical products.