Factors that predispose self-medication in university students, a colombian case

Abstract

Background: Self-medication is a social practice that is becoming increasingly common in Colombia due to difficulties in healthcare access, long waits for appointments, or not enough time for users to visit their doctors or make checkup appointments. The aforementioned is reflected by the requests, claims and complaints received by the Superintendent of Health in Colombia during 2018, reaching near one million, 12% of which were due to the untimely availability of specialized medical appointments, and 6% are due to the untimely and delivery of medications. The untimely delivery of medications can lead to consequences such as self-medication along with its side effects, adverse reactions, occasional intoxications, and ineffectiveness due to their use in situations for which they are not indicated. For these reasons, this study explores cases among students from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Universidad de Los Llanos. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted, and the information was gathered by surveying a group of 270 students. Sampling was done on a pro-rata basis, accounting for the number of students per semester, and study degree. This instrument was approved by health professionals who held masters-level educations. The survey included variables such as demographic data, health status, knowledge of medications, and self-medication culture. Results: From the results obtained, 91% of the students are between ages 15 and 24, and 67% admitted self-medicated or used medications for ailments such as flu (67%), headache (60%), and fever (40%). The most used drugs included acetaminophen 90.1%, ibuprofen 49.7%, and 53.6% natural products, especially herbal infusions. Students stated they self-medicated because they did not have enough time to visit the doctor (42.5%). Conclusion: This study found that students understood the concept of self-medication and still used medications without a prescription, and 39.6% (107/270) of the students self-medicated at least once a month.