Prevalence of self-medication among academics of the healthcare field in a university in the middlewest of Santa Catarina before and after the pharmacology discipline

Abstract

Self-medication is characterized by self-administration of drugs that have not been prescribed by the doctor, thereby seeking rapid relief of symptoms. This irrational and incorrect practice can lead to several consequences, such as masking evolutionary diseases, causing dependence, intoxication and drug interactions. The incidence of self-medication is problematized with health students, since they should be aware of such a practice, the risks and harms it may entail. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of self-medication in nursing, pharmacy and medicine students in Alto Vale do Rio do Peixe University (UNIARP) and what influence the discipline of pharmacology has on the self-administration of drugs. The results of this analysis may motivate actions in order to bring improvements regarding the correct use of medication among university students and avoid self-medication.