[Self-medication and its factors amongst Navymen aboard surface ships of the French Navy at sea: A descriptive study]

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of self-medication among military personnel deployed on surface ships of the French Navy.

A cross-sectional observational monocentric study was conducted from April to September 2024 using self-administered questionnaires distributed on board five surface ships from the Toulon naval base. The data collected covered sociodemographic characteristics and self-medication behaviors. Statistical analyses were performed using R software (version 4.0.3; 2020).

Among the 405 participants included, 54.1% reported having used at least one medication in self-medication during the mission. First-line painkillers were the most commonly used drugs (85.8%), mainly for headaches (82.2%). Independent predictive factors for self-medication were female sex, being a crew member or petty officer over 25 years old, longer mission duration, and history of self-medication practices. Adverse drug reactions were reported by 2.8% of participants.

Self-medication appears to be a common practice among naval personnel, probably favored by isolation, culture of the performance, and desire to maintain operational skills. These findings highlight the need for better education and supervision regarding self-medication use at sea, the development of guidelines for a reasonable self-medication, and a stronger preventive role for onboard medical staff.