Self-medication in the community: a public health issue.
Self-medication is an important public health issue and a challenge in several European countries, particularly in Portugal. The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of self-medication in a sample of Portuguese adults in the Central and Northern Region of Portugal and to identify...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Asociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y Discapacidad
2019-08-01
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| Series: | INFAD |
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| Online Access: | http://www.infad.eu/RevistaINFAD/OJS/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/1603 |
| _version_ | 1797971481364267008 |
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| author | Odete Amaral Nélio Veiga Paula Nelas Emília Coutinho Claudia Chaves |
| author_facet | Odete Amaral Nélio Veiga Paula Nelas Emília Coutinho Claudia Chaves |
| author_sort | Odete Amaral |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Self-medication is an important public health issue and a challenge in several European countries, particularly in Portugal. The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of self-medication in a sample of Portuguese adults in the Central and Northern Region of Portugal and to identify sociodemographic and health factors associated with self-medication. Participants and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was performed. The sample consisted of 197 individuals from the community, central and northern Portugal, with a mean age of 38.26 ± 14.20 years and mostly female (65.0%).
The data collection was accomplished through the application of a questionnaire, composed of questions of sociodemographic characterization, health context and issues related to selfmedication. Results: In the total sample, the prevalence of self-medication throughout life was 74.1% and in the last 6 months it was 59.9%. Lifelong self-medication was significantly associated with urban residence (p = 0.018). Self-medication in the last 6 months was positively correlated with age ≤25 years (OR = 3.69, 95% CI 1.04-12.14) and negatively with the residential area (rural OR = 0.36, 95% CI, 0.15-0.84). Conclusions: We observed a high prevalence of self-medication throughout the life and in the last 6 months among the northern and central communities of Portugal. Self-medication was associated with sociodemographic and health variables. The results of the present study provide evidence for the planning of interventions in the control of selfmedication in the community. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:33:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ce7232a16734c5685e915f953905d2c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0214-9877 2603-5987 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:33:18Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | Asociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y Discapacidad |
| record_format | Article |
| series | INFAD |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ce7232a16734c5685e915f953905d2c2023-01-02T05:50:05ZengAsociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y DiscapacidadINFAD0214-98772603-59872019-08-014142343210.17060/ijodaep.2019.n1.v4.16031298Self-medication in the community: a public health issue.Odete Amaral0Nélio Veiga1Paula Nelas2Emília Coutinho3Claudia Chaves4Escola Superior de Saúde de Viseu. Instituto Politécnico de ViseuCentre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS). Universidade Católica PortuguesaEscola Superior de Saúde de Viseu. Instituto Politécnico de Viseu.Escola Superior de Saúde de Viseu. Instituto Politécnico de Viseu.Escola Superior de Saúde de Viseu Instituto Politécnico de ViseuSelf-medication is an important public health issue and a challenge in several European countries, particularly in Portugal. The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of self-medication in a sample of Portuguese adults in the Central and Northern Region of Portugal and to identify sociodemographic and health factors associated with self-medication. Participants and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was performed. The sample consisted of 197 individuals from the community, central and northern Portugal, with a mean age of 38.26 ± 14.20 years and mostly female (65.0%). The data collection was accomplished through the application of a questionnaire, composed of questions of sociodemographic characterization, health context and issues related to selfmedication. Results: In the total sample, the prevalence of self-medication throughout life was 74.1% and in the last 6 months it was 59.9%. Lifelong self-medication was significantly associated with urban residence (p = 0.018). Self-medication in the last 6 months was positively correlated with age ≤25 years (OR = 3.69, 95% CI 1.04-12.14) and negatively with the residential area (rural OR = 0.36, 95% CI, 0.15-0.84). Conclusions: We observed a high prevalence of self-medication throughout the life and in the last 6 months among the northern and central communities of Portugal. Self-medication was associated with sociodemographic and health variables. The results of the present study provide evidence for the planning of interventions in the control of selfmedication in the community.http://www.infad.eu/RevistaINFAD/OJS/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/1603adultoautomedicaçãoepidemiologia |
| spellingShingle | Odete Amaral Nélio Veiga Paula Nelas Emília Coutinho Claudia Chaves Self-medication in the community: a public health issue. INFAD adulto automedicação epidemiologia |
| title | Self-medication in the community: a public health issue. |
| title_full | Self-medication in the community: a public health issue. |
| title_fullStr | Self-medication in the community: a public health issue. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-medication in the community: a public health issue. |
| title_short | Self-medication in the community: a public health issue. |
| title_sort | self medication in the community a public health issue |
| topic | adulto automedicação epidemiologia |
| url | http://www.infad.eu/RevistaINFAD/OJS/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/1603 |
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