Volume 7, Issue 2 (Spring 2019)
Iran J Health Sci 2019, 7(2): 29-38 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Shokrzadeh M, Hoseinpoor R, Jafari D, Jalilian J, Shayeste Y. Self-Medication Practice and Associated Factors among Adults in Gorgan, North of Iran. Iran J Health Sci 2019; 7 (2) :29-38
URL: http://jhs.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-630-en.html
URL: http://jhs.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-630-en.html
Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran , shayeste.yaghoub@gmail.com
Abstract: (3379 Views)
Background and Purpose: Self-medication is an important concern in every part of the world. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and to investigate the associate factors of self-medication among adults in Gorgan, north of Iran.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among adults aged 12 years and above who were residents in Gorgan city. The participants were selected using the multi-stage cluster sampling method. SPSS Software and Pearson's chi-squared test were used for data analysis.
Results: A total of 592 households with 2050 respondents were visited. The prevalence of self-medication was 67.9%. A larger number of females were self-medicating (71.3%) than males (63.5%). The majority of the respondents self-medicated because of the previous use experience (59.3%). The main indication for self-medication use was headache (60.8%). Analgesics were the most commonly self-medicated by the respondents (83.9%). Also, 88.6% of the respondents prepared their drug from drugstores. Furthermore, there were significant differences between self-medication and demographics characteristics including gender, age group, marital status, occupation, education level and income (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication especially with analgesics is relatively high among adult city-dwellers in Gorgan. So, preventive measures, such as strengthening of the communities awareness on the side effects of self-medication practice and regulation of pharmacies are very important mechanisms to decrease the practice.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among adults aged 12 years and above who were residents in Gorgan city. The participants were selected using the multi-stage cluster sampling method. SPSS Software and Pearson's chi-squared test were used for data analysis.
Results: A total of 592 households with 2050 respondents were visited. The prevalence of self-medication was 67.9%. A larger number of females were self-medicating (71.3%) than males (63.5%). The majority of the respondents self-medicated because of the previous use experience (59.3%). The main indication for self-medication use was headache (60.8%). Analgesics were the most commonly self-medicated by the respondents (83.9%). Also, 88.6% of the respondents prepared their drug from drugstores. Furthermore, there were significant differences between self-medication and demographics characteristics including gender, age group, marital status, occupation, education level and income (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication especially with analgesics is relatively high among adult city-dwellers in Gorgan. So, preventive measures, such as strengthening of the communities awareness on the side effects of self-medication practice and regulation of pharmacies are very important mechanisms to decrease the practice.
Type of Study: Original Article |
Subject:
Management of health care services
References
1. Ocan M, Bwanga F, Godfrey SB, Bagenda D, Waako P, Ogwal-Okeng J, Obua C. Patterns and predictors of self-medication in northern Uganda. PLoS One. 2014; 9(3): e92323. [DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0092323] [PMID] [PMCID]
2. Sangeetha Nair MG, Rajmohanan TP, Kumaran J. Self- medication practices of reproductive age group women in Thiruvananthapuram district, South India: A questionnaire - Based study. Journal Pharmacology Sciences & Research. 2013; 5(11):220-225.
3. Ranjbar Ezzatabadi M, Rafiei S, Shafiei M, Vahidi AR, Dehghani Tafti A, Saghafi F, Bahrami MA et al. Self-medication and contributing factors: A questionnaire survey among Iranian households. Bali Medical Journal. 2016; 5(3): 376-380. [DOI:10.15562/bmj.v5i3.222]
4. Wijesinghe PR, Jayakody RL, de A Seneviratne R. Prevalence and predictors of self-medication in a selected urban and rural district of Sri Lanka. WHO South East Asia Journal Public Health. 2012; 1(1):28-41. [DOI:10.4103/2224-3151.206911] [PMID]
5. Azami-Aghdash S, Mohseni M, Etemadi M, Royani S, Moosavi A, Nakhaee M. Prevalence and cause of self-medication in Iran. Iran Journal Public Health. 2015; 44(12):1580-93.
6. Hajira Saba I, Shivananda KS, Mini J, Althaf Hussain C. Prevalence of self-medication practices and its associated factors in rural Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health. 2016; 3(6):1481-1486. [DOI:10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20161615]
7. Ganguly NK, Arora NK, Chandy SJ, Fairoze MN, Gill JP, Gupta U. Global antibiotic resistance partnership (GARP): India working group. Rationalizing antibiotic use to limit antibiotic resistance in India. Indian Journal Medicine Research. 2011;134: 281‑94.
8. Aqeel T, Shabbir A, Basharat H, Bukhari M, Mobin S, Shahid H, Waqar SA. Prevalence of self-medication among urban and rural population of Islamabad, Pakistan. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. 2014; 13(4): 627. [DOI:10.4314/tjpr.v13i4.22]
9. Ansari H, Hashemi SM, Boya S, Zare F, Peyvand M, Eskandari M. Prevalence of self-medication practices and drug use in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2: A cross sectional study in Southeast of Iran. Degree Pharmacia Letter. 2016; 8 (8):192-197.
10. Gerald NT, Sirri LN, Mary BS. Self- medication practice and associated factors at the regional hospital Bamenda, Cameroon: a prospective study. International Journal Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 2017; 6(7):1560-1566. [DOI:10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20172716]
11. Adhikary M, Tiwari P, Singh S, Karoo C. Study of self-medication practices and its determinants among college students of Delhi university north campus, New Delhi, India. International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health. 2014; 3(4):406-409. [DOI:10.5455/ijmsph.2014.260120146]
12. Alavi NM, Alami L, Taefi S, Gharabagh GS. Factor analysis of self-treatment in diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2011; 11(1):761. [DOI:10.1186/1471-2458-11-761] [PMID] [PMCID]
13. Zhao Y, Shuangge M. Observations on the Prevalence, Characteristics, and effects of Self-Treatment. Front. Public Health. 2016; 4(69): 1-8. [DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2016.00069]
14. Selvaraj K, Kumar SG, Ramalingam A. Prevalence of self-medication practices and its associated factors in urban Puducherry, India. Perspect Clinical Research. 2014; 5(1):32-6. [DOI:10.4103/2229-3485.124569] [PMID] [PMCID]
15. Jasminka AL, Vladimir M, Tatjana P, Goran T, Nevena R, Danijela A, Anita G. Self-medication practices and risk factors for self-medication among medical students in Belgrade, Serbia. PLOS ONE. 2014; 9(12): e114644. [DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0114644] [PMID] [PMCID]
16. Kabiru KS, Olubukola JA. The practice of self-medication for treatment of illnesses for under-five children by mothers in Ibadan, Nigeria. Research Journal of Drug Abuse. 2015; 2(2):1-7. [DOI:10.7243/2057-3111-2-2]
17. Manish J, Rahul P, Dhriti B, Rohit J. Prevalence and pattern of self-medication practices in urban area of southern Rajasthan. National Journal Community Medicine. 2015; 6(4): 474-477.
18. Kumar V, Mangal A, Yadav G, Raut D, Singh S. Prevalence and pattern of self-medication practices in an urban area of Delhi, India. Medical Journal Dr. D. Patil Vidyapeeth.2015;8(1):16-20. [DOI:10.4103/0975-2870.148828]
19. Serdar O, Gulnar N, Ayse C, Hamdi ND. The practice of self-medication in an urban population. Biomedical Research India. 2017;28(14):6160-6164.
20. Anees A, Mohd TK, Najam K, Mohd AA, Mohd M. An epidemiological study of self-medication among urban adults of Aligarh. International Journal of Medical Sciences and Public Health. 2017; 6(4): 680-683. [DOI:10.5455/ijmsph.2017.0852018112016]
21. Aster DK, Berhanu BB, Habtamu SM. Self-medication practice and associated factors among adult household members in Meket district, Northeast Ethiopia. BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology. 2018; 19(15): 1-8. [DOI:10.1186/s40360-018-0205-6] [PMID] [PMCID]
22. Shah D. The self-medication epidemic: the prevailing use and abuse of non-prescription medications in developing countries like Pakistan. Journal of Pakistan Medical Association. 2013; 63(12):1574.
23. Aqeel T, Shabbir A, Basharat H, Bukhari M, Mobin S, Shahid H. Prevalence of self-medication among urban and rural population of Islamabad, Pakistan. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. 2014; 13(4):627. [DOI:10.4314/tjpr.v13i4.22]
24. Rohini Pentareddy M, Vedula P, Roopa B, Chandra J, Amarendar S. Comparison of pattern of self-medication among urban and rural population of Telangana state, India. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology. 2017; 6(11): 2723-2726. [DOI:10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20174795]
25. Gutema GB, Gadisa DA, Kidanemariam ZA, Berhe DF, Berhe AH, Hadera MG, et al. Self-medication practices among health sciences students: the case of Mekelle University. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science. 2011; 1(10):183-189.
26. Alghanim S.A. Self-Medication practice among patients in a public health care system. East Mediterr Health Journal. 2011; 17(5):409-16. [DOI:10.26719/2011.17.5.409]
27. Ghazawy ER, Ebtesam EH, Mohamed ES, Emam SA. Self-medication among adults in Minia, Egypt: A Cross Sectional Community-Based Study. Health. 2017; 9:883-895. [DOI:10.4236/health.2017.96063]
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-By-NC), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Contact Information
