Self-Medication in University Students from the City of Mansoura, Egypt

• Published in: Journal of environmental and public health Vol. 2017; no. 2017; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Helal, R. M., Abou-ElWafa, Hala Samir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01.01.2017; Hindawi; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: Age; College students; Cross-Sectional Studies; Developing countries; Drugs; Drugstores; Egypt; Female; Health education; Humans; LDCs; Male; Medical students; Medicine; Multivariate analysis; Pharmacy; Prevalence; Public health; Public health education; Questionnaires; Self Medication - classification; Self Medication - psychology; Self Medication - statistics & numerical data; Self-medication; Socioeconomic Factors; Students; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Students, Medical - psychology; Students, Medical - statistics & numerical data; Studies; Substance abuse treatment; Universities; Universities and colleges; University students; Urban areas; Young Adult; Egypt, Arab Rep
• ISSN: 1687-9805; 1687-9813; 1687-9813
• DOI: 10.1155/2017/9145193

Background. Self-medication is a common practice in developed and developing countries. Objectives. To explore the prevalence of self-medication practices among university students, probable reasons, symptoms requiring self-medication, and sources of advice. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Mansoura University, Egypt, and included 1st and last year students of both medical and nonmedical faculties. Results. Prevalence of self-medication was 62.9%. Younger age, female, medical, and ever-married students and those having home pharmacy tended to self-medicate more than their peers with significant difference between them. Being medical student, being from urban area, having good current health condition, being careless about health, and having drugs stored at home pharmacy were independently associated with the likelihood of self-medicating. Conclusion. Prevalence of self-medication among university students is high which constitutes a health problem that needs intervention.