Self-medication Pattern and Prevalence Among Iranian Medical Sciences Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Self-medication is a prevalent behavior with potential risks.
• Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs contribute to the accessibility of self-treatment options.
• Understanding self-medication patterns is vital for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate self-medication practices among medical sciences students in Shiraz, Iran.
• To identify factors associated with self-medication in this student population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 396 students from medical, paramedical, and health sciences disciplines.
• Data collection via questionnaires on demographics, medication use, and self-medication knowledge.
• Statistical analysis using chi-square, t-test, and logistic regression.

Main Results:

• 72% of participants reported self-medication in the past six months.
• Common reasons included trust in self-diagnosis and perceived mildness of illness.
• Self-medication correlated with home medicine stock, less knowledge of adverse effects, and increased non-syllabus study time.

Conclusions:

• Medical students require enhanced education on the adverse effects of self-medication.
• Disseminating knowledge about medication risks can help reduce self-medication prevalence.
• Interventions should target factors like home medicine availability and awareness of side effects.