Maslat A, Al-Atoom N, Al-Najdawi M, Khaled Hassouneh L, Mashaal A, Alrashdan Y, Al-Rawashdeh NH, Elhamrawy M. DRUG MISUSE AND SELF-MEDICATION AMONG PHARMACY STUDENTS IN JORDAN.
Pol Merkur Lekarski 2023;
51:464-474. [PMID:
38069846 DOI:
10.36740/merkur202305104]
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Aim: To estimate risks and prevalence of self-medication and potential abuse risk among pharmacy students in Jordanian Universities.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted with 450 students, selected using multistage sampling methods, from seven different universities. Data was collected by self-administrated questionnaires covering demographic and academic information, health-related information, use of self-medication, and pattern of self-medication among pharmacy students.
RESULTS
Results: Out of 394 students who answer the questions, 76.9% reported that they had usually treated themselves in case of simple cases without physician or pharmacist consultation. Most commonly used drugs among the surveyed students were Paracetamol 60%, multivitamins supplement 74.25%, and herbal products 37.2%, combination of NSAIDs and Paracetamol 20.6%, and laxatives 19.4%. Cold and flu 25.5%, headache 22.3%, abdominal pain 7.9%, gastric pain 7.9%, cold and flu, headache, abdominal pain, and gastric pain 14.9% were the main conditions which contribute to self-medication practice. It was also found that Pharmacy students were over-confident with the type of cases they could treat without referral to a specialist physician, despite knowing that some of the symptoms may be due to serious health problems. Misuse of analgesics and laxatives was clear, and there was a weakness in knowledge of the indications for the use of the most common drug.
CONCLUSION
Conclusions: The prevalence of self-medication among pharmacy students in Jordan is high, and medical teaching institutions need to educate students about the proper use of medicines. Strict legislation and more education on self-medication are necessary for effective use of medicines.
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