Self-medication: initial treatments used by patients seen in an ophthalmologic emergency room
OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to identify practices of self-medication in the treatment of ocular emergencies. We examine patients' use of both homemade preparations and manufactured products before seeking specialized care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analytic survey of...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier España
2009-01-01
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| Series: | Clinics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322009000800005 |
| _version_ | 1811318876870279168 |
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| author | Regina Souza Carvalho Newton Kara-José Edméa Rita Temporini Newton Kara-Junior Regina Noma-Campos |
| author_facet | Regina Souza Carvalho Newton Kara-José Edméa Rita Temporini Newton Kara-Junior Regina Noma-Campos |
| author_sort | Regina Souza Carvalho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to identify practices of self-medication in the treatment of ocular emergencies. We examine patients' use of both homemade preparations and manufactured products before seeking specialized care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analytic survey of consecutive patients seen in the ophthalmology emergency room of a teaching hospital. RESULTS: The sample included 561 subjects, 51.3% males and 48.7% females, with a mean age of 39.8 years. Prior to seeking emergency care, 40.5% reported self-medicating; 29.4% used a homemade preparation (13.9% referred to an industrialized product like boric acid as a homemade preparation), and 11.1% used a manufactured product. The most frequently used products included a boric acid solution (53.3%), a normal saline solution (35.7%), herbal infusions (6.1%) and breast milk (4.8%). Viral conjunctivitis was the most frequent diagnosis (24.4%), followed by the presence of a corneal foreign body (7.4%). No significant differences were found in the self-treatment of ocular injuries according to gender (p = 0.95), level of education (p = 0.21) or age (p = 0.14). In addition, self-medication practices were not related to the medically judged severity of the condition. CONCLUSION: Patients often attempt to treat conditions that require ophthalmologic emergency care by self-medicating with homemade or manufactured products. The most widely used products include boric acid, normal saline, leaf infusions and breast milk. This behavior occurs independently of educational level, gender, age or the nature of the ocular condition. Self-medication is a culturally driven practice that is used even in cases of acute ocular injuries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:32:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aee8b55df2d647958cfdb605bcbbde30 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1807-5932 1980-5322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:32:52Z |
| publishDate | 2009-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier España |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinics |
| spelling | doaj.art-aee8b55df2d647958cfdb605bcbbde302022-12-22T02:46:45ZengElsevier EspañaClinics1807-59321980-53222009-01-0164873574110.1590/S1807-59322009000800005Self-medication: initial treatments used by patients seen in an ophthalmologic emergency roomRegina Souza CarvalhoNewton Kara-JoséEdméa Rita TemporiniNewton Kara-JuniorRegina Noma-CamposOBJECTIVE: This study seeks to identify practices of self-medication in the treatment of ocular emergencies. We examine patients' use of both homemade preparations and manufactured products before seeking specialized care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analytic survey of consecutive patients seen in the ophthalmology emergency room of a teaching hospital. RESULTS: The sample included 561 subjects, 51.3% males and 48.7% females, with a mean age of 39.8 years. Prior to seeking emergency care, 40.5% reported self-medicating; 29.4% used a homemade preparation (13.9% referred to an industrialized product like boric acid as a homemade preparation), and 11.1% used a manufactured product. The most frequently used products included a boric acid solution (53.3%), a normal saline solution (35.7%), herbal infusions (6.1%) and breast milk (4.8%). Viral conjunctivitis was the most frequent diagnosis (24.4%), followed by the presence of a corneal foreign body (7.4%). No significant differences were found in the self-treatment of ocular injuries according to gender (p = 0.95), level of education (p = 0.21) or age (p = 0.14). In addition, self-medication practices were not related to the medically judged severity of the condition. CONCLUSION: Patients often attempt to treat conditions that require ophthalmologic emergency care by self-medicating with homemade or manufactured products. The most widely used products include boric acid, normal saline, leaf infusions and breast milk. This behavior occurs independently of educational level, gender, age or the nature of the ocular condition. Self-medication is a culturally driven practice that is used even in cases of acute ocular injuries.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322009000800005Cultural habitsEye-dropsHomemade remediesOphthalmologic first-aidSelf-medication |
| spellingShingle | Regina Souza Carvalho Newton Kara-José Edméa Rita Temporini Newton Kara-Junior Regina Noma-Campos Self-medication: initial treatments used by patients seen in an ophthalmologic emergency room Clinics Cultural habits Eye-drops Homemade remedies Ophthalmologic first-aid Self-medication |
| title | Self-medication: initial treatments used by patients seen in an ophthalmologic emergency room |
| title_full | Self-medication: initial treatments used by patients seen in an ophthalmologic emergency room |
| title_fullStr | Self-medication: initial treatments used by patients seen in an ophthalmologic emergency room |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-medication: initial treatments used by patients seen in an ophthalmologic emergency room |
| title_short | Self-medication: initial treatments used by patients seen in an ophthalmologic emergency room |
| title_sort | self medication initial treatments used by patients seen in an ophthalmologic emergency room |
| topic | Cultural habits Eye-drops Homemade remedies Ophthalmologic first-aid Self-medication |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322009000800005 |
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