Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research (Jan 2024)

Self-Medication and its associated factors among university students: A cross-sectional study

  • Anas Alomoush,
  • Abdullah Alkhawaldeh,
  • Mohamme ALBashtawy,
  • Shaher Hamaideh,
  • Wafa'a Ta'an,
  • Raghad Abdelkader,
  • Khitam Mohammad,
  • Ahmad Rayan,
  • Mohammad Alsadi,
  • Omar Khraisat,
  • Marah Shyab,
  • Rasmieh Al-Amer,
  • Mohammad Suliman,
  • Ahmad Ayed,
  • Asem Abdalrahim,
  • Mohammad Al-Qudah

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/ijnmr.ijnmr_302_22
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 29, no. 2
pp. 268 – 271

Abstract

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Background: Self-medication is a global concern among professionals and non-professionals, with a rapid increase in prevalence. The study aims to assess the prevalence of self-medication and its associated factors among university students. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in three universities, and a total of 817 college students participated in this study. Results: About 75.40% of the participants reported using medications without a professional prescription. The category of analgesics was the most commonly used in self-medication (82.80%), while the most common symptom was a headache (81.50%). Almost 74.10% percent of participants who have practiced self-medication stated that the reason was the “lack of time to consult a physician.” Most participants who have used self-medication (90.30%) stated that the source of knowledge was “previous prescription.” Conclusions: Health education programs concerning self-mediation should be held in university settings to improve attitudes and practices toward self-mediation.

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