Self-medication Habits Research Articles

Self-medication, self-assessment and knowledge of dental medicine students about analgesics.

The objective of this study was to investigate the rate of self-medication among dental students and any differences and/or associations between self-medication, self-assessment and knowledge among students in later years of the same study. The study was conducted between April and July 2020 at the School of Dental medicine, University of Zagreb. All students were given access to an online survey to learn more about their self-medication habits, pharmacological knowledge and analgesic self-assessment. The experimental research group consisted of 120 third- to sixth-year students (n = 120), while the control group consisted of 30 first- and second-year students who had not taken any pharmacology courses. Even 110 students (91.67%) reported self-medication, with ibuprofen being the most prevalent analgesic (70%). Fifth-year students showed a statistically significant difference in all knowledge-related questions compared to third- and fourth-year students (p=0.0015 and p=0.002, respectively). In addition, in the self-assessment statements across all study years, a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) was also noticed. The feeling of willingness to prescribe analgesics behaved according to the increasing pattern over the years of study. A statistically significant difference in self-medication, self-assessment and knowledge among dental students over the years, with the alarmingly high prevalence of self-medication among them, was observed. Because effective dental practice requires a thorough knowledge of pharmaceuticals, it is vital to continually expand and refine students' understanding of the use of analgesics in dentistry throughout their undergraduate studies. Key words:Analgesics, Self Medication, Self-Assessment, Knowledge, Dentistry, Students.

'You never know when you will need an antibiotic': A qualitative study of structural barriers and cultural assumptions in antibiotic misuse among immigrants in the United States.

The use of nonprescribed antibiotics increases the risk of antibiotic resistance, which is a primary public health concern of the 21st century. This study explores structural and cultural determinants of antibiotic misuse among immigrants living in the United States who arrived from home countries with easier access to antibiotics. Adopting a qualitative approach, we interviewed 34 immigrants living in the United States and who had traveled back to their home countries within 1year of the interview. We followed the steps of constructive grounded theory to analyze the data. We found two primary influences of immigrants' use of nonprescribed antibiotics. The first was structural barriers to health care access in the host country, including insurance coverage, cost of an emergency department visit, cost of missing a paid day of work, complexity of the healthcare system, and communication issues with health care providers. The second was participants' cultural assumptions, including their experiences of antibiotics use, beliefs about antibiotics, a habit of self-medication, and uncertainty about future medical needs. This study informs policymakers concerned with combating antibiotic resistance. Promoting antibiotic stewardship among immigrants from countries with lax antibiotic-prescribing practices and improving access to appropriate channels for preventative and same-day care may reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice on over-the-counter drugs among medical and nursing students: A cross-sectional study

Background: As future health-care practitioners’, self-medication assumes special importance among MBBS, nursing, and paramedical students. They are the ones who differ from the general population due to their exposure to the disease and drugs. The idea of conducting the present study was due to the scarcity of data regarding knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs among them. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to check KAP regarding OTC drug use among medical and nursing students and also to know the different reasons for self-medication and influences regarding their choice for the same. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done including medical and nursing students for time duration of 6 months from January to May 2023. A well-designed, pre-validated questionnaire with various items on a Likert scale was distributed to medical and nursing students all over Maharashtra via Google Forms, sharing links through the contacts of the medical and nursing students' association of Maharashtra. Descriptive statistical analysis was used. Results: A total of 161 students (102 medical, 59 nursing) took part in the present study. Most of the students (84.4%) practiced self-medication. Fever and headache (56.4%), followed by cough and common cold (27.5%), are the most common illness for which students self-medicate. One of the most common reasons students have been found to self-medicate was found to be refusal to spend time seeing a doctor for minor illness (64.5%). Conclusion: There is an extensive habit of self-medication among MBBS and nursing students. Lack of understanding regarding the proper use of medications, their storage, expiry, action to be taken in case of side effects, and increasing the dose of medication when symptoms are not subsiding were some of the significant problems found.

Self- Medication Practices and Complications among Workers in Federal Medical Center, Owerri, Imostate, Nigeria

The study's objective was to evaluate self-medication habits and side effects among employees at the Federal Medical Centre in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. To direct the study, six objectives, six research questions, and four research hypotheses were developed. The study used a cross-sectional research design. Four (4) departments and respondents were chosen utilising a multi-stage sample technique and simple random technique. 436 workers in all were chosen for the study. A self-created questionnaire served as the data collection tool. The test-retest approach was used to establish the instrument's reliability and the spearman rank order correlation coefficient produced a positive result of 0.8. Utilising frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, the data was sorted, examined, and summarised. The chi-square, T-test, and ANOVA were used to evaluate the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings indicated that 73% of Federal Medical Centre Owerri employees self-medicated, with problems being the most common (x = 2.87; SD =.765). A greater 94.3% of workers in the 50–59 age group reported using self-medication. Self-medication is more common among female workers than male workers (78.9% versus 69.8%). Workers between the ages of 40 and 49 report more self-medication difficulties (x = 3.02; SD = 1.2). Self-medication issues are worse for female workers than for male workers (x = 2.92; SD =.765). Based on age (x2=11.976, df = 6, p-value =.73) and gender (x2=1.674, df = 1, p-value =.196), there were no appreciable differences in the self-medication practises among employees at the Federal Medical Centre in Owerri, Imo State. The only factor that significantly differed in the problems of self-medication among employees at the Federal Medical Centre in Owerri, Imo State, was age (F(6, 413) = 2.996, p =.000). To keep staff members informed and reeducated about the risks of self-medication, regular workshops and seminars should be organised.

The association between knowledge level and common cold self-medication behaviour among students of non-health faculty

Background: Self-medication is common among students all over the world. The most common reasons for self-medication were prior illness experience, non-seriousness of the illness, and drug availability. About 72.44% Indonesians of practice self-medication. Adequate knowledge sharing on drug usage would ensure appropriate and rational treatment. Objective: To determine the relationship between the level of knowledge of non-health faculty students about the common cold and the habit of self-medication during its treatment. Method: This is an observational study using a descriptive cross-sectional research design. The participants in this study were non-health faculty students from the Muhammadiyah University of Magelang and Lamongan, Indonesia who met the inclusion criteria. Knowledge level and behaviour level questionnaires were used. The Spearman Rank correlation test was used to analyse the data. Result: About 69.2% and 64.9% of the respondents had good knowledge, and behaviour respectively in the case of common cold self-medication. The Spearman Rank test analysis indicated a correlation between respondents’ knowledge and behaviour towards common cold self-medication. Meanwhile, the strength correlation indicated a weak relationship. Conclusion: Other factors could influence the self-medication habit besides knowledge status.

Evaluation of self-medication habits among patients at the Odontostomatology unit of a secondary health facility in Cameroon

Self-medication is a major public health issue because of the hazard it creates, such as therapeutic failures and the emergence of multi-resistant bacteria, but it is still poorly documented in our local context.Our goal was to determine the prevalence of self-medication due oral diseases when they visit the Odontostomatology unit of a secondary health facility in Cameroon. Materials and methodsFrom February to May 2020, we conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study at the Odontostomatology unit of the PCC Dental Office of Djoungolo. After obtaining informed consent, data was collected using questionnaires. For the statistical analysis, the significance level was set at 5%. ResultsWe retained 147 patients (75 women and 72 men) in our study. The average age was 35.3 years ± 13.5 years. Self-medication was used by 88% of our patients, and the most common reason for consultation (81% of cases) was dental pain. The most used drugs for self-medication in our patients were NSAIDs and analgesics. In our study, amoxicillin was the most used antibiotic (21%). In terms of supply routes, the pharmacy was the most common source of drug supply (39%). In our study, the factors significantly associated with self-medication were age >30, low levels of education, and certain socio-professional activities. ConclusionThe prevalence of self-medication during oral diseases is high and is closely related to our country's socioeconomic context. This study highlights the primacy of educating patients about the risks of taking drugs without a prescription and the benefits of having routine consultations with an oral physician.

Self-medication practices among seafarers: a bibliometric review.

Self-medication could be a public health concern if done inappropriately, and additional research is required to better comprehend the population-wide nature of the problem. Seafarers are more inclined to self-medicate due to the nature of their work. We performed a rapid bibliometric analysis to determine the volume of research on self-medication habits among seafarers. Our analysis revealed a major knowledge gap regarding self-medication practices among seafarers. There is an urgent need to address this paucity of data and formulate appropriate interventions.

A survey on self-medication for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 and distrust in healthcare of veterans in a primary care setting in the United States.

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic brought the public overwhelming and conflicting information. Rates of trust in healthcare professionals have been declining among laypersons over the past five decades. In this setting, we sought to evaluate the use of medications, both with or without a prescription, to prevent and treat SARS-CoV-2 as well as trust in healthcare among patients in a primary care clinic. We surveyed 150 veterans in primary care clinic waiting rooms at a large southwestern tertiary care Veterans Affairs hospital. This survey was performed in March-November 2021. The survey asked about respondents' demographics, use of medications, nutritional supplements, and other remedies for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, perceived access to care using Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and System (CAHPS), overall health status, and barriers to medical appointments in the last 12 months. Distrust was measured using the Revised Health Care Distrust scale. We used univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses to study predictors of distrust to healthcare. Forty-two (28%) of 150 respondents reported taking an agent for the prevention of COVID-19, while 4% reported storing antibiotics for the treatment of COVID-19, if diagnosed. Medications were obtained from medical providers, US stores or markets, the Internet, home stockpiles, and other countries. Medications with potentially harmful effects taken for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 included hydroxychloroquine, pseudoephedrine, and antibiotics. Among those surveyed, the mean (SD) on the health system distrust score was 2.2 (0.6) on a scale of 1-5, with 5 indicating higher distrust. Younger age, self-reported poor health, lack of a regular physician, and self-reported poor access to care were independently associated with distrust in healthcare. Self-medication to prevent COVID-19 infection with unproven therapies was common among respondents, as was some level of distrust in the healthcare system. Access to care was one of the modifiable factors associated with distrust. Future studies may explore whether improving trust may moderate self-treatment behavior and storage of potentially harmful medications. Self-Medication Habits and Trust in Healthcare Among Patients in a Primary Care Setting in the United States The public has received information from many different sources on COVID-19. Trust in healthcare leadership has also been impacted. We studied self-medication habits to prevent or treat COVID-19 among a group of primary care patients in a large hospital system in the Southwest United States. We also explored these patients' trust in their healthcare system.We asked people waiting in primary care clinic waiting rooms whether they had taken any medications, nutritional supplements, or other remedies to prevent or treat COVID-19. We also asked people whether they stored medications in the event that they were diagnosed with COVID. The survey explored patients' trust in the healthcare system through a validated trust survey tool. The survey also assessed basic demographic information, health literacy, access to care, and self-reported health status. These survey answers were analyzed to see whether there was an association between trust in healthcare and other factors including self-medication habits, access to care, demographics, or perceived health.This study found that over 25% of the 150 people surveyed had taken a medication, nutritional supplement, or remedy in an attempt to prevent COVID. We found that some people were taking potentially harmful medications, including hydroxychloroquine, pseudoephedrine, and antibiotics. We found that patients' distrust score was 2.2 on a scale of 1-5 (5 is associated with higher distrust). Self-medication for the prevention or treatment of COVID was not associated with distrust; however, younger age, self-perceived lack of access to healthcare, self-perceived poor overall health, and not having a regular doctor were predictors for lower trust. This information provides a basis to further study self-medication habits as well as ways to improve trust in the healthcare system.

What do Patients Use for Treating Their Oral Ulcers? And How do these Treatments Affect Their Quality of Life?

Objectives: Oral ulceration forms a major category of oral lesions. Due to its effect on the quality of life, the patients seek treatment using various substances. This study investigated the types of treatments used by a sample of patients having all types of oral ulcers and its positive and negative effects on the patients' lives. Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients having different types of oral ulcers. Participants provided information about their previous treatments, the source of recommendation of its use and side effects linked to them. They filled the oral health impact profile-14 questionnaire to report the change in their quality of life after treatment. The patients' educational and social levels were tested as predictors for the use of non-conventional treatments. Results: Correct pharmaceutical treatments were administered y 34% of the participants; the most effective of which were systemic and topical steroids by ulcerative oral lichen planus patients; and vitamin supplements in recurrent aphthous stomatitis patients. The majority (64.2%) of the previously treated patients used non-conventional treatments, the most widely used of which was Tahini. Half of the patients using non-conventional treatments suffered side effects. The source of information of the self-medication was attributed mainly to the patients themselves, followed by friends and family members. Conclusion: This study reflects the widely spread habit of self-medication in our sample of patients having oral ulcers. It highlights the negative influence of these remedies.

What Shapes Late HIV Diagnosis in Vietnam? A Qualitative Investigation of Multilevel Factors.

Late HIV treatment remains a global public health issue despite significant efforts. To better understand what shapes this issue, we interviewed 36 Vietnamese ART-naive patients who came to HIV treatment in 2017. Half of them had intake CD4 counts fewer than 100 cells/mm3, the others had intake CD4 counts of 350 cells/mm3 and above. Late diagnosis was the reason of late treatment in our sample. Most late presenters were not members of the key populations at increased risk of HIV (e.g., people who inject drugs, commercial sex workers, and men who have sex with men). Individual-level factors included low risk appraisal, habit of self-medication, and fear of stigma. Network and structural-level factors included challenges to access quality health care, normalization of HIV testing in key populations and inconsistent provider-initiated HIV testing practices. Structural interventions coupled with existing key population-targeted strategies would improve the issue of late HIV diagnosis.

Self-medication habits during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background Self-medication is a common practice worldwide. During COVID-19 pandemic, the constant fear of going outside and to use health services may have had an impact in the number of visits to Community Pharmacies. This research aimed to study self-medication habits of the Portuguese population during the current pandemic, more specifically, to understand which non-prescription drugs and food supplements were taken and the situations that conduced to the use of self-medication. Methods An online structured survey was conducted, with data obtained anonymously and included 170 participants (≥18 years). Data were processed using SPSS v26. Results Participants in this study were mainly female (81.2%), with a mean age of 38.01 ± 1.16 years old and most (84.7%) over 12 years of schooling. Answers allowed to verify that the current pandemic didn’t affect that much the frequency of visits to Pharmacy and the situations where people used self-medication were mainly minor, such as headaches (54.1%) and muscle pains (26.5%). The medications used more often were analgesics (60.0%) and anti-inflammatory (40.0%). However, many people indicated that they didńt seek for more information about medicines (49.4%) and/or supplements (7.6%) used during this period. In general, people visited the Pharmacy with a similar frequency and purpose as the previous year. Conclusions Despite all the changes, the current pandemic has not negatively affected the practice of self-medication. The role of Pharmacy professionals in the rational use of the drugs, particularly those used in self medicated situations is essential, especially when the population shows low health literacy regarding the use of medicines.

English

BACKGROUND Dysmenorrhoea is the most common gynaecological problem. Almost half of the female adolescents suffer from it resulting in a major cause of school / college absenteeism. We tried to find out the prevalence of dysmenorrhoea among female adolescents in a suburban population and investigate a potential association between the body mass index, dietary habits and behavioural factors and its correlation with absenteeism. METHODS A cross sectional study was done on 270 adolescent females attending outpatient department of a suburban medical college. We interviewed the selected adolescent girls using a pretested semi structured questionnaire after obtaining their or their parents consent. Statistical analysis was done using frequencies, percentages and chi square test with statistical software package SPSS version 20. RESULTS Total 270 unmarried adolescent girls were interviewed. Among them 51.1 % girls suffered from dysmenorrhoea. 58.7 % patients suffered from mild dysmenorrhoea whereas 27.5 % and 13.8 % suffered from moderate and severe dysmenorrhoea respectively. 59.02 % of girls with normal BMI and 54.55 % of obese girls suffered from dysmenorrhoea. Only 16 % patients with mild dysmenorrhoea were absent from their school or college whereas 63.1 % and 84.2 % of patients with moderate to severe dysmenorrhoea had school or college absenteeism respectively. 74.47 % of patients used to take self-medication. CONCLUSIONS Dysmenorrhoea was a significant cause of absenteeism and habit of self-medication was prevalent. Introduction of a school health program for menstrual health might improve the issues. KEY WORDS Menstruation, Dysmenorrhoea, Adolescents

Assessment of Self-Medication and Their Associated Risks in Medical and Non-Medical People of Sialkot: Cross-Sectional Study

Self-medication is an important health issues among patients’ behavior in reaction to their ailment. Objectives: To assess self-medication practices and their associated risks in medical &amp; non-medical people of Sialkot, Pakistan. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Methodology: Present study enrolled 250 subjects from Sialkot between October-November 2020 through self-administered web-based questionnaire. It assessed demographic details, prevalence and practice of self-medication along-with the attitude of respondents towards self-medication and associated side effects. Statistical analysis: Data was analyzed by SPSS, v-24. Results: Among enrolled subjects, mean age was 21 ± 1.8 years. Female: Male percentages were (59.4%: 40.2%). Self-medication was common among 85% subjects. The most common reason for self-medication in medical people was to need a quick relief (42.9%) and in non-medical people were previous experience with symptoms (35.2%). Conclusion: We concluded that habit of self-medication is a common practice among educated generation knowing the fact that it harms their lives. Hence, need of hour is to educate them in-order to ensure safe practices. Key Words: Self Medication, Prevalence and Risk Factors.

Prevalence, Attitude and Knowledge of Self Medication during Covid-19 Disease Pandemic

Aim: To determine the prevalence, attitude, and knowledge of self-medication of general population for the prevention of coronavirus during the COVID 19 pandemic. Place and duration of the study: Major studies of Punjab during 2020. Methodology: A self-generated questionnaire was distributed online amongst the general population of Punjab excluding the people using medication for any other chronic medical disorder. The study included the general public including the age group from 16-60 years. Results: Among 290 participants, 33.7% were males and 66.3% were female. Based on the data obtained 53% used medication without a doctor’s prescription (self- medication) while 46.7% took the medication with a doctor’s prescription. Those with the habit of self-medication relied on both allopathic and herbal medications due to various reasons, the most frequent reason found was unavailability of doctors (27.8%). The most frequently used self-medicated drugs were pain killers, Hydroxychloroquinone, Azithromycin and Ivermectin to prevent from this deadly virus (p-value=0.000).Adverse effects reported after self-medications are statistically non-significant. Conclusion It is concluded that majority of the general population of Punjab are in the habit of self-medicating themselves because of difficulty in approaching physicians and the most commonly self-medicated drug with or without symptoms was found to be tablet Azithromycin as a preventive measure during this pandemic. Keywords: COVID-19, self-medication, adverse effects

Review on Assessment of Self-Medication and Factors Influencing Self-Medication Practice among Pediatric Population

Self-medication refers to patients who use non-prescription medicines, usually over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, to treat certain ‘minor’ ailments themselves without consulting a medical practitioner and without any medical supervision. In pediatric context, self-medication implies administration of medication by the care giver without medical consultation. Parents sometimes exhibit the habit of self-medication for the diseases of their children. Today, children take responsibility for their medications at different ages; children often take responsibility for taking medications at a young age especially when they are suffering from chronic conditions. Children aged 16-18 years are observed to self-medicate for minor ailments like cold, fever, headache and pain. Hence this population is at a greater risk of medication errors and there is a need to improve the pediatric medication safety. Various factors influencing self-medication are patient and care giver educational level, awareness about health, accessibility to medicine and health care facilities, time constraint, ineffective prescription, thinking disease is not serious, ease and convenience, cost of physician’s service development of new technologies (e.g. internet and related communication) is promoting self-medication worldwide. Economic and cultural factors have contributed to the growth and spread of self-medication worldwide. The remaining of the previous prescription drugs which are present at home is used, previous experience on efficacy of the drug. This systematic review of self-medication in pediatric population studies showed that more than half of the populations were self-medicated. Keywords: self-medication, pediatric population.

Awareness on self-medications practices among dental students

Self-medication is indeed a practice where patients select and use drugs for either the management of auto-diagnosed physically or mental health problems. It was defined as the ingestion of drugs without consultation with a qualified doctor. The purpose of the research was to evaluate the perceptions and degree of self-medication practice amongst first-year dental students. This questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 100 first-year undergraduate dental students in Chennai. The questionnaire had 11 questions eliciting the practice of self-medication patterns among the students. The responses were recorded and . 61% of the respondents have the habit of self-medication. 43% said that they take for a headache, 21% said that for stomach pain, for fever 25% take self-medication and the rest said that they visit a doctor without taking any self-medication. 56% preferred medication, 9% preferred , 12% preferred Ayurveda and the rest 23% preferred the homemade medicines. 41% use antibiotic drugs, 47%use drugs and the rest 12% use antihistamine drugs. Around 71% said that they were aware of a drug overdose and the rest 29% said they were not aware. Self-medication was primarily used by dental students mainly for minor ailments with over the counter drugs. From the survey, we can conclude that there is a large number of students 61 % have the practice self-medication and so awareness must be created on it.

Uso irracional de medicamentos e plantas medicinais contra a COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2): Um problema emergente

Introduction: COVID-19 is a viral disease that has affected almost 21 million people worldwide. The lethality and considerable morbidity, high contagion and lack of specific drugs against COVID-19, has generated fear enhancing the habit of self-medication by Brazilian people. Objectives: This review aims to address critical issues related to the irrational use of medicines and medicinal plants against infection caused by the novel coronavirus. Results: The placement of fake news on social media, dissemination of preliminary scientific results in an irresponsible manner and escalation of drug prescriptions without proving efficacy has driven the irrational and indiscriminate use of medicines and medicinal plants against SARS-CoV-2. Important increases were observed in the dispensing of drugs without proven clinical efficacy against COVID-19, especially in the case of ivermectin (1,22%), vitamin C (180.01%), hydroxychloroquine (67.93%) and vitamin D (35.56%). Thus, the role of the pharmaceutical professional is essential in health education, promoting the rational use of medicines, and pharmacotherapeutic monitoring of patients with COVID-19. Conclusion: The use of medicines and medicinal plants with limited efficacy and safety indication reached a critical level during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Policies to promote the rational use of medicines, herbal medicines and medicinal plants should be encouraged in order to mitigate the risks inherent in self-medication during this period.

The use of analgesics and risk of self-medication in an urban population sample: cross-sectional study

Background and objectivesThere are few data in the literature characterizing the pattern of analgesic use in Latin American countries, including Brazil. Little is known about the undertreatment of pain and its influence on the habit of self-medication with analgesics. The aim of this study is to define the pattern of analgesic use among chronic pain patients and its potential association with self-medication with analgesics. MethodCross-sectional observational study with an urban population sample. Chronic pain was defined as a pain lasting for at least 90 days. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the institution. Results416 subjects were included; 45.7 % (n = 190) had chronic pain, with females (72.3 %; p = 0.04) being the most affected. Self-medication with analgesics is practiced by 78.4% of patients with chronic pain. The most common current analgesic treatment consists of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (dipyrone and acetaminophen). Weak opioids are rarely used and only 2.6% of subjects with chronic pain were taking these analgesics. None of the subjects were taking potent opioids. ConclusionsThe practice of self-medication with analgesics is frequent among patients with chronic pain, which may be due to the underprescription of more potent analgesics, such as opioids. It can also be said that, given the data presented, there is no crisis of recreational opioid use in the studied population.

Pyometra in a Bitch Possibly Caused by Simultaneous Administration of Levonorgestrel and Estradiol Cypionate

Background: Toxicological events in animals may be accidental or intentional and could occur in the home environment. These events could involve different agents such as pesticides, rodenticides, medicines, foods, and plants. Indiscriminate use of medication in pets by their owners is common. Self-medication of animals with drugs for human use can cause irreversible damage to their health. The emergency contraceptive pill (morning-after pill), comprising concentrated hormonal compounds, is sold freely in Brazil. The objective of this article was to report a case of pyometra in a bitch possibly caused by simultaneous administration of human emergency contraceptive pill along with a veterinary contraceptive medication. Case: A 6-year-old bitch was referred to a Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for abdominal enlargement. According to the guardian, during estrus (30 days before the consultation) the female dog was covered. After intercourse, the owner administered a human emergency contraceptive pill (morning-after pill) and a veterinary contraceptive. Physical examination revealed severe dehydration (10%) and high temperature, besides the abdominal enlargement. The hemogram revealed leukocytosis with a left shift, characteristic of infection. After clinical examination, closed pyometra was suspected, and later confirmed by ultrasonography. Due to the poor clinical condition, fluid therapy was performed, and a systemic antibiotic was administered. After stabilization, the patient underwent ovariohysterectomy. In the postoperative period, the fluid therapy was continued, and antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drugs were administered. Two days after surgery, the patient was discharged for home recovery. Discussion: Most cases of drug poisoning in animals involve female dogs, similar to the patient in this report. There is no theory elucidating the same, but the rate of incidence in female dogs has been reported to be higher than that in male dogs in the veterinary clinical routine. The administration of medicines at the guardian’s discretion, as seen in this case, is common in Brazil. The drugs involved may be of veterinary or human use. Drug intoxication is linked to the culture of self-medication. If the animal presents a symptom similar to that of a human, the guardian dispenses the same medicine used for him to their pet animal. Thus, it can be inferred that the guardian of the bitch in this report had the habit of self-medication and adopted the same conduct with the pet. The emergency contraceptive pill used here consisted of levonorgestrel, a progestin-type of hormone. No reports of levonorgestrel use have been reported in dogs; therefore, the mode of action of the drug in the canine species is unknown. The administration of progestogens in bitches is one of the main causes of reproductive diseases in the species. One of the diseases related to the use of contraceptives in bitches is pyometra. Despite the evidence, the human contraceptive cannot be determined as the cause of pyometra, because a veterinary contraceptive was also administered. Pyometra probably occurred due to the combined effect of both drugs. Thus, this case was diagnosed as drug intoxication. Veterinarians should be alert on this subject and invest in awareness and prevention of self-medication in animals by their guardians.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Self Medication: A Cross-sectional Study among Yemeni Health Profession Students

Self-medications practice is increasing widely. It is expected to be higher in health students due to their awareness and knowledge of diseases and medicines.&#x0D; The Aim of the study to assess the self-medications among the first year students of health science facilities in Aden University, Yemen.&#x0D; Cross sectional study was conducted using Questionnaire from previous study served as the data collection instrument among first year students who were available during study period.&#x0D; Descriptive statistics was used to describe the frequency of variable&#x0D; A total of 231 out of 250 questionnaires were completed and returned, which gives the response rate of 92.4%. 119 (51.5 %) of respondents were male and 112(48.5%) of them were female. Approximately 69 (29.9 %) of respondents had no Knowledge on definition of Self-medication at all, only 25 (10.8 %) had very much knowledge about it , majority of respondents 82 (68.9 %) stated that they did so because the illness were minor were among the most reasons for self-medication, followed by prior experiences with the previous episode and treatment 72 (60.5 %), emergency use 54(45.4 %), quick relief 46 (38.7%) , cost effectiveness 42 (35.3 %) and 39 (32.8 %) of respondents reported that lack of time to go for consultation&#x0D; . The most common sources of information used by the respondent were text books and pharmacists. The attitude was positive towards self-medication and favored self-medication saying that it was acceptable.&#x0D; Self-medication habits were common among first year students of faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Aden University in Yemen. An urgent and rapid intervention should be made to promote health awareness of the self-medication among students because the percentages of using antibiotics and other classes of medicines are alarming. Students must be educated about the potential hazard of using medicines without physician advices and their serious adverse reactions. The Ministry of Health and Population must enact laws regulating the dispensing of medicines from pharmacies