Use Of Nonprescription Medications Research Articles

Prevalence of self-medication practices in the Maharashtra population: a cross-sectional study

Background: Self-medication is a significant issue in public health, with varying global prevalence. It is one of the major causes of the emergence of antibiotic resistance in India. The study's objective was to identify the pattern, cause, and adverse events of self-medication in Maharashtra's urban and rural areas. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a pre-populated questionnaire; including information on age (18-85 years), non-prescription and prescription medication use. Age, gender, past medical and medication history, social history, and self-medication pattern, frequency, reason, source of information, and adverse events noticed as a result of self-medication are all sociodemographic questions on the questionnaire. A percentage analysis was used to examine the data. Results: Study states that out of 400 sample, 76% of the individuals self-medicate, with painkillers (49.4%), antacids (23.7%), antibiotics (15.3%), being the most often used drugs for ailments like headache, fever, bodily pain, and acidity. The top most medications taken for self-medication are paracetamol (53.1%), pantoprazole (30.43%), ondansetron (13.62%), and azithromycin (12.46%); 66.07% usage of prescription drugs as self-medication was found. The most frequent causes of self-medication were discovered to be mild illnesses, the easy accessibility of medications, and chemist recommendations, 8% of those surveyed had adverse events, and sources of information were chemists, past prescriptions, family members, and acquaintances. Conclusions: In Maharashtra, self-medication is a prevalent practice that primarily utilizes over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. As a result, consumers should be made aware of the hazards of antibiotic resistance and other pharmaceuticals.

The use of prescription medications and non-prescription medications during lactation in a prospective Canadian cohort study

BackgroundA lack of safety data on postpartum medication use presents a potential barrier to breastfeeding and may result in infant exposure to medications in breastmilk. The type and extent of medication use by lactating women requires investigation.MethodsData were collected from the CHILD Cohort Study which enrolled pregnant women across Canada between 2008 and 2012. Participants completed questionnaires regarding medications and non-prescription medications used and breastfeeding status at 3, 6 and 12 months postpartum. Medications, along with self-reported reasons for medication use, were categorized by ontologies [hierarchical controlled vocabulary] as part of a large-scale curation effort to enable more robust investigations of reasons for medication use.ResultsA total of 3542 mother-infant dyads were recruited to the CHILD study. Breastfeeding rates were 87.4%, 75.3%, 45.5% at 3, 6 and 12 months respectively. About 40% of women who were breastfeeding at 3 months used at least one prescription medication during the first three months postpartum; this proportion decreased over time to 29.5% % at 6 months and 32.8% at 12 months. The most commonly used prescription medication by breastfeeding women was domperidone at 3 months (9.0%, n = 229/2540) and 6 months (5.6%, n = 109/1948), and norethisterone at 12 months (4.1%, n = 48/1180). The vast majority of domperidone use by breastfeeding women (97.3%) was for lactation purposes which is off-label (signifying unapproved use of an approved medication). Non-prescription medications were more often used among breastfeeding than non-breastfeeding women (67.6% versus 48.9% at 3 months, p < 0.0001), The most commonly used non-prescription medications were multivitamins and Vitamin D at 3, 6 and 12 months postpartum.ConclusionsIn Canada, medication use is common postpartum; 40% of breastfeeding women use prescription medications in the first 3 months postpartum. A diverse range of medications were used, with many women taking more than one prescription and non-prescription medicines. The most commonly used prescription medication by breastfeeding women were domperidone for off-label lactation support, signalling a need for more data on the efficacy of domperidone for this indication. This data should inform research priorities and communication strategies developed to optimize care during lactation.

A food product as a potential serious cause of liver injury

Introduction Drug-induced liver injury can be challenging to diagnose, as it can develop following the use of many prescription and nonprescription medications, herbals, and dietary supplements. Food products may not be routinely considered as a potential cause of hepatotoxicity. We describe the clinical features of two cases of acute liver injury following consumption of a smoothie product. Case presentations Two patients independently presented to the hospital with epigastric pain and acute liver injury. Both patients had consumed a new smoothie product in the same month that they presented to the hospital, with a recurrence of acute liver injury with further consumption. A diagnosis of drug-induced liver injury was established after the evaluation excluded other causes of liver injury. It was thought that a natural ingredient in the smoothie, tara flour, was the cause of hepatotoxicity based on prior news reports. Both patients stopped drinking the smoothie product with subsequent normalization of liver enzyme activities and no further recurrence of epigastric pain. Conclusion The diagnosis of drug-induced liver injury largely relies on a compatible history and exclusion of other causes of liver injury. We demonstrate the importance of considering new food products in the differential diagnosis of acute liver injury.

Psychological distress, non-medical use of prescription medications, and perceived unmet mental health care needs: a cross-sectional study of Ontario students.

The non-medical use of prescription medications among adolescents has become a concerning public health issue. This study assessed the prevalence of the non-medical use of prescription medications in Ontario high school students, and explored the moderating effect of this use on the relationship between psychological distress and unmet mental health needs. Cross-sectional data for 4896 students, age 14-18, were drawn from the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler-6 Distress Scale, unmet mental health needs were defined by self-report (yes/no), and non-prescription medication use was defined by self-reported frequency of use. Using logistic regression, we explored the effect of the non-medical use of prescription medications on the relationship between psychological distress and unmet mental health needs. High proportions of Ontario students reported serious psychological distress (22%), some degree of unmet mental health need (38%), and/or non-medical use of prescription medications (13%). While there were strong associations between psychological distress and unmet mental health need, this association was weaker among those reporting non-medical use of prescription medications (OR = 3.3, 95% CI 1.9-5.7) compared to non-users (OR = 5.6, 95% CI 4.5-7.1). Our findings suggest that Ontario students experiencing distress and using non-prescribed medications are less likely to identify a need for mental health support, highlighting the consequences of apparent self-medication through misuse of prescription medications. To assist in the redirection of adolescent perceptions of healthy coping strategies, population-based educational programming, with targeted promotion of both formal and informal mental health care resources, should be considered.

Drivers of informal sector and non-prescription medication use in pediatric populations in a low- and middle-income setting: A prospective cohort study in Zambia.

Obtaining medication from the informal sector is common in low- and middle- income countries. Informal sector use increases the risk for inappropriate medication use, including inappropriate antibiotic usage. Infants are at the highest risk of complications from inappropriate medication use, yet there is insufficient knowledge about the risk factors driving caregivers to obtain medication from the informal sector for young children. We aimed to define infant and illness characteristics associated with use of medication purchased in the informal sector for infants up to fifteen months of age in Zambia. We used data from, a prospective cohort study (ROTA-biotic) conducted among 6 weeks to 15 months old children in Zambia, which is nested within an ongoing phase III rotavirus vaccine trial (Clinicaltrial.gov NCT04010448). Weekly in-person surveys collected information about illness episodes and medication usage for the trial population and for a community control cohort. The primary outcome for this study was whether medication was purchased in the formal sector (hospital or clinic) or informal sector (pharmacy, street vendor, friend/relative/neighbor, or chemical shop) per illness episode. Descriptive analyses were used to describe the study population, and the independent and medication use variables stratified by the outcome. A mixed-effects logistic regression model with a participant-level random intercept was used to identify independent variables associated with the outcome. The analysis included 439 participants accounting for 1927 illness episodes over fourteen months in time. Medication was purchased in the informal sector for 386 (20.0%) illness episodes, and in the formal sector for 1541 (80.0%) illness episodes. Antibiotic usage was less common in the informal sector than in the formal sector (29.3% vs 56.2%, p < 0.001, chi-square). Most medications purchased in the informal sector were orally administered (93.4%), and non-prescribed (78.8%). Increased distance from the closest study site (OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.17), being included in the community cohort site (OR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.86, 5.46), illnesses with general malaise fever, or headache (OR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.75, 3.93), and wound/skin disease (OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.73) were associated with use of medication from the informal sector. Sex, socioeconomic status, and gastrointestinal disease were not associated with use of medication from the informal sector. Informal sector medication use is common and, in this study, risk factors for obtaining medications in the informal sector included a long distance to a formal clinic, type of illness, and not being enrolled in a clinical trial. Continued research on medication use from the informal sector is crucial and should include generalizable study populations, information on severity of disease, emphasis on qualitative research, and a move towards testing interventions that aim to improve access to formal health care settings. Our findings suggest that improved access to formal health care services may decrease reliance on medication from the informal sector for infants.

Over-the-counter Medication Use during Pandemic: Lessons Learned from Covid-19 in Lithuania

Abstract Background Despite the growing awareness about nonprescription misuse of anxiolytics, there is not much evidence about people’s behavior during the covid-19 lockdown when access to healthcare specialists was limited. Over the counter drug use has risen sharply in the past decades among college students and junior health care workers, yet, there are few studies reporting on the use of nonprescription medicine groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A cross-sectional study among 163 second-year medical students of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences was conducted in Kaunas, Lithuania with self-reported measures of anxiety and insomnia and comparing nonprescription medicine use for anxiety and insomnia before and during the covid-19 pandemic. Results A near two-fold increase in the prevalence of anxiety and insomnia among Lithuanian medical students was reported during the covid-19 pandemic compared to before the onset of the pandemic (p &amp;lt; 0,001). The use of nonprescription medication increased during the pandemic (p &amp;lt; 0,001), in particular anxiolytics (p &amp;lt; 0,05). Once-weekly anxiolytic medication use increased from 8,0% before the pandemic to 14,7% during the pandemic. Regular nonprescription medicine use (2-3 times weekly) had more than tripled, from 2,4% to 9,2%. During the pandemic, almost a fifth of the respondents were increasingly searching for information on anxiolytic nonprescription medication online during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Conclusions During the covid-19 pandemic, the prevalence of anxiety and insomnia increased among Lithuanian medical students, along with the practice of anxiolytic nonprescription medications. Lithuanian medical students increasingly practiced self-medication during the pandemic and found the information on nonprescription medication increasingly online, which offers opportunities for telemedicine. Key messages • During the covid-19 pandemic, the prevalence of anxiety and insomnia increased among Lithuanian medical students, along with the practice of anxiolytic nonprescription medications. • During covid-19, Lithuanian medical students increasingly retrieved information on nonprescription medication online instead of consulting a pharmacist, offering opportunities for telemedicine.

Prevalence of prescription and non-prescription polypharmacy by frailty and sex among middle-aged and older Canadians.

Estimates of polypharmacy have primarily been derived from prescription claims, and less is known about the use of non-prescription medications (alone or in combination with prescription medications) across the frailty spectrum or by sex. Our objectives were to estimate the prevalence of polypharmacy (total, prescription, non-prescription, and concurrent prescription and non-prescription) overall, and by frailty, sex and broad age group. Canadian Health Measures Survey, Cycle 5, 2016 to 2017. Among Canadians aged 40 to 79 years, all prescription and non-prescription medications used in the month prior to the survey were documented. Polypharmacy was defined as using five or more medications total (prescription and non-prescription), prescription only and non-prescription only. Concurrent prescription and non-prescription use was defined as two or more and three or more of each. Frailty was defined using a 31-item frailty index (FI) and categorized as non-frail (FI ≤ 0.1) and pre-frail or frail (FI > 0.1). Survey-weighted descriptive statistics were calculated overall and age standardized. We analyzed 2,039 respondents, representing 16,638,026 Canadians (mean age of 56.9 years; 51% women). Overall, 52.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 47.3 to 57.4) were defined as pre-frail or frail. Age-standardized estimates of total polypharmacy, prescription polypharmacy and concurrent prescription and non-prescription medication use were significantly higher among pre-frail or frail versus non-frail adults (e.g., total polypharmacy: 64.1% versus 31.8%, respectively). Polypharmacy with non-prescription medications was common overall (20.5% [95% CI = 16.1 to 25.8]) and greater among women, but did not differ significantly by frailty. Polypharmacy and concurrent prescription and non-prescription medication use were common among Canadian adults, especially those who were pre-frail or frail. Our findings highlight the importance of considering non-prescribed medications when measuring the exposure to medications and the potential risk for adverse outcomes.

Over-the-counter (OTC) Medication And Nutraceutical Use In Patients With Heart Failure Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF): A Sub-Study From The EPIC-HF Trial.

<h3>Introduction</h3> Limited data exist regarding "real world" use of OTC medications and nutraceuticals in HFrEF patients. <h3>Methods</h3> The EPIC-HF trial (NCT03334188) was a prospective, randomized study testing the implementation, effectiveness, and safety of the EPIC-HF intervention compared to usual care in HFrEF patients across a large diverse health system. Demographic data and nonprescription medication use were collected from electronic medical records. We characterized specific OTC medications and nutraceuticals used by HFrEF patients; assessed attitudes regarding knowledge, skill, and confidence for managing health and healthcare; and compared intensification of guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) between patients who did or did not use nutraceuticals. Attitudes were assessed via the Patient Activation Measurement tool and stratified by nutraceutical use. The association between guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) intensification and nutraceutical use was compared between the EPIC-HF control and intervention groups. Comparisons between groups were made using Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests for continuous variables and chi-squared tests or Fisher's exact test as appropriate for categorical variables. <h3>Results</h3> Of the 305 patients enrolled in the EPIC-HF trial, 92% were taking at least one OTC medication and 26% at least one nutraceutical. The most common OTC medications were aspirin, acetaminophen, cholecalciferol, and calcium. Fish oil, coenzyme Q10, melatonin, and lactobacillus were most used for nutraceuticals. Of the EPIC-HF study cohort, 9.5% of patients were taking an OTC medication or nutraceutical that could exacerbate or worsen HF. In the EPIC-HF intervention cohort (n=147), only 36.4% in the nutraceutical group had any intensification in their GDMT compared to 53.9% of those not taking nutraceuticals (P=0.05). Patients taking nutraceuticals "strongly agreed" they felt more confident when they needed medical care or could handle a health problem themselves compared to those who did not (52.6% vs 39.3%, p<0.05, respectively). <h3>Conclusions</h3> Within our study population, OTC medication use was highly prevalent in patients with HFrEF with about one-third taking nutraceuticals some of which could exacerbate or worsen heart failure. Nutraceutical use among HFrEF patients was associated with a lower likelihood for GDMT intensification.

Use and Costs of Nonprescription Medications Among People With Spinal Cord Injury

ObjectivesThe study objectives were to assess the prevalence of, and factors associated with the use and costs of nonprescription medications among people with spinal cord injury. DesignObservational design; a cross-sectional online survey. SettingCommunity in Canada. ParticipantsIndividuals with spinal cord injury (N=160). InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresNot applicable. ResultsA total of 160 individuals participated in this study. Of all study participants, 83% reported that they used at least 1 nonprescription medication over the last 12 months. On average, participants spent $52 per month on nonprescription medications. The average use and monthly expenditure did not differ significantly by age, sex, or injury parameters. Vitamins and minerals were most commonly used and constituted 62% of all nonprescription medications listed by the participants. Musculoskeletal issues were the most common health problems for which nonprescription medications were used. ConclusionNonprescription medications are a common part of therapeutic drug regimens for people with spinal cord injuries and are purchased as an out-of-pocket expense. These products may or may not have established benefits. Knowledge about the use of nonprescription medications may help prescribers to improve drug safety, medication affordability, and quality of pharmacotherapy for patients with spinal cord injury.

A cost utility analysis alongside a cluster-randomised trial evaluating a minor ailment service compared to usual care in community pharmacy

BackgroundMinor ailments are “self-limiting conditions which may be diagnosed and managed without a medical intervention”. A cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) was designed to evaluate the clinical, humanistic and economic outcomes of a Minor Ailment Service (MAS) in community pharmacy (CP) compared with usual care (UC).MethodsThe cRCT was conducted for 6 months from December 2017. The pharmacist-patient intervention consisted of a standardised face-to-face consultation on a web-based program using co-developed protocols, pharmacists’ training, practice change facilitators and patients’ educational material. Patients requesting a non-prescription medication (direct product request) or presenting minor ailments received MAS or UC and were followed-up by telephone 10-days after the consultation.The primary economic outcomes were incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) of the service and health related quality of life (HRQoL). Total costs included health system, CPs and patient direct costs: health professionals’ consultation time, medication costs, pharmacists’ training costs, investment of the pharmacy and consultation costs within the 10 days following the initial consultation. The HRQoL was obtained using the EuroQoL 5D-5L at the time of the consultation and at 10-days follow up. A sensitivity analysis was carried out using bootstrapping. There were two sub-group analyses undertaken, for symptom presentation and direct product requests, to evaluate possible differences.ResultsA total of 808 patients (323 MAS and 485 UC) were recruited in 27 CPs with 42 pharmacists (20 MAS and 22 UC). 64.7% (n = 523) of patients responded to follow-up after their consultation in CP. MAS patients gained an additional 0.0003 QALYs (p = 0.053). When considering only MAS patients presenting with symptoms, the ICUR was 24,733€/QALY with a 47.4% probability of cost-effectiveness (willingness to pay of 25,000€/QALY). Although when considering patients presenting for a direct product request, MAS was the dominant strategy with a 93.69% probability of cost-effectiveness.ConclusionsExpanding community pharmacists’ scope through MAS may benefit health systems. To be fully cost effective, MAS should not only include consultations arising from symptom presentation but also include an oversight of self-selected products by patients. MAS increase patient safety through the appropriate use of non-prescription medication and through the direct referral of patients to GP.Trial registrationISRCTN, ISRCTN17235323. Registered 07/05/2021 - Retrospectively registered

Survey on common trends for non-prescribed medication use among the young generation in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A cross sectional study

Background: Use of drugs without prescription is a worldwide phenomenon especially among the general people in the developing countries. Alarmingly the use of medication without prescriptions among the young generations for longer duration is increasing day by day. The study was meant to evaluate the prevalence of non-prescribed medications among the young generations living in the capital of Bangladesh.Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey conducted in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) from September-November, 2019. Data was collected from patients having self-administration of drugs with semi-structured questionnaire in English and analysed applying descriptive statistics.Results: The study revealed the occurrence of non-prescription medication use among 75% of the respondents (N=400). The participants were students (67%), service holder (19%) and housewife (9%). Male and female were 49% and 51%; aged between 15-35 years (average 25.8 years). Mostly used medication groups were NSAIDs (34%), antacids (24%) and antibiotics (17%). Duration was more than one year 206 (69%) and from six to twelve months 94 (31%). The compliance reported as better (62.33%) and extremely good (34.33%). The crucial diseases treated were fever (27.73%), gastric acidity (22.13%), headache and other pains (15.13%), dysentery and diarrhea (8.68%) and allergy (8.40%). Interestingly 42% participants suggested their medication to others.Conclusions: In the young generation occurrence of non-prescribed medication is highest amidst the students. The authority should assure rational use of medications. The DGDA may campaign against the haphazard use of medicines involving the young generations.

Medication Education Provided to School-Aged Children: A Systematic Scoping Review.

To characterize the educational interventions regarding prescription and nonprescription medication use for school-aged children, we systematically reviewed evidence of programs available for this age group. Searches in PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts were conducted. Search terms focused on: population education, school-age children, and medications. Studies were excluded if they were specific to a particular disease state or class of medication, drugs of misuse and illicit drugs. Data extraction included study design, location, educational intervention and duration, research methods, and main findings. We found 14 studies representing 8 separate projects. Six projects were identified in the gray literature. Projects ranged from individual sessions to national programs. Quantitative studies showed improvement in knowledge, medication literacy, and confidence. The adoption of medication education strategies was dependent on the educator's comfort level and beliefs regarding medication safety. Credible medication education resources are available and have been shown to improve students' knowledge. There remains a need for multifaceted implementation and evaluation strategies. Strategies and resources are available to implement interventions in communities to address medication education in school-age children. Frameworks should be used to facilitate the implementation of effective health promotion strategies around safe-medication use for school-aged children.

Optimizing Care for Mothers and Newborns Affected by Opioid Use Disorder [27E

INTRODUCTION: Recent years have seen a rise in maternal opioid-related deaths and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). Screening with a validated, standardized tool can streamline identification of pregnant women with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The NIDA Quick Screen (NIDA) is a tool that has not been validated in this population and may help identify those with OUD. METHODS: All pregnant women receiving care at Loyola University Medical Center Outpatient Center between January 2019 and July 2019 were eligible for NIDA screening at two time points: New Obstetric Visit and/or Return Obstetric Visit. NIDA, which screens for tobacco, alcohol, nonprescription medication use, and illicit drug use, was administered as standard of care by a nurse or research assistant at the start of the visit. A chart review of screened patients was then completed to validate results. *IRB and/or animal use committee approval was waived for this study. RESULTS: Out of 187 eligible patients screened, 4 (2.14%) resulted positive for OUD by systematic chart review. Of the patients identified for OUD, 3 (75%) were using prescribed opioids and 1 (25%) was using non-prescribed opioids (heroin). None (0%) of the patients with OUD (prescribed) screened positive by NIDA. Conversely, the patient with OUD (non-prescribed) screened positive via “illicit drug use.” CONCLUSION: As evidenced by the study, NIDA is not sufficiently sensitive to capture the nuances of current opioid use, specifically prescription medication, in the pregnant population. Additionally, the inability of NIDA to indicate whether opioid use is current or previous, is a critical limitation in obstetric care.

Long-term benefits of digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia: Follow-up report from a randomized clinical trial.

Digital cognitive behavioural therapy (dCBT) is an effective treatment for chronic insomnia and also improves well-being and quality of life (QoL). We assessed whether these benefits are sustained and if the effects of dCBT extend to the use of sleep medication and healthcare. In total 1,711 adults (48.0±13.8years, 77.6% female) with complaints of chronic insomnia participated in a previously published randomized controlled trial (ISRCTN 60530898) comparing dCBT (n=853) with sleep hygiene education (SHE, n=858). At weeks 0, 4, 8, 24, 36 and 48, we assessed functional health (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System: Global Health Scale); psychological well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale) and sleep-related QoL (Glasgow Sleep Impact Index), prescribed and non-prescribed sleep medication use, and healthcare utilization. At week 25, those who received SHE at baseline were offered dCBT. dCBT improved functional health (difference: 2.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.03; 2.88, Cohen's d: 0.50, p<.001), psychological well-being (difference: 4.34, 95% CI: 3.70; 4.98, Cohen's d: 0.55, p<.001) and sleep-related QoL (difference: -44.61, 95%CI: -47.17; -42.05, Cohen's d: -1.44, p<.001) at week 48 compared to baseline. At week 24 dCBT, compared to SHE, also reduced use of prescription and non-prescription sleep medication up to week 24 (adjusted rate ratio [RR]: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.42; 0.97, p=.037 and adjusted RR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.37; 0.74, p<.0001, respectively), but not healthcare utilization. Uncontrolled follow-up suggests that these effects were sustained for non-prescribed sleep medication (RR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.40; 0.67, p<.001). In conclusion, this study suggests that dCBT results in sustained benefits to insomnia and its daytime outcomes.

Impact of Concomitant Medication Use and Immune-Related Adverse Events on Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Aim: Patients receiving checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) are frequently on other medications for co-morbidities. We explored the impact of concomitant medication use on outcomes. Materials& methods:210metastatic cancer patients on CPI were identified and association between concomitant medication use and immune-related adverse events with clinical outcomes was determined. Results: Aspirin, metformin, β-blockers and statins were not shown to have any statistically significant difference on clinical benefit. 26.3% patients with clinical benefit developed rash versus 11.8% without clinical benefit (p<0.05) on multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Use of common prescription and nonprescription medications in patients with multiple co-morbidities appears safe and does not have an adverse effect on CPI efficacy. The presence of rash predicted for a better response.

Nursing students: medication use, psychoactive substances and health conditions.

to assess the use of nonprescription psychoactive medications and their associations with psychoactive substance use and health aspects among nursing students. a cross-sectional study conducted with 182 students at a nursing school in the city of Vale do Ribeira, Brazil. Sociodemographic information, screening for alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, information on physical and mental health and physical activity practices were assessed. more than half of the students (79.2%) used psychoactive drugs without prescription, with a predominance of monthly consumption. Consumption of these drugs was found to be associated with alcohol use, binge drinking, smoking and illicit drug use. the findings have implications for the implementation of health promotion strategies among nursing students, in view of lifestyle changes.

Profile of the self-medication of undergraduate students in the health area from higher education institution in Sinop-MT

The present study had the objective of evaluating the self-medication in graduates of the health area. The cross-sectional study consisted of 244 health professionals, of which 110 (45%) were Pharmacy, 71 (29%) Nursing and 63 (25%) Medicine, aged between 17 and 51 years. Of these, 183 (75%) were women, 214 (87%) were unmarried and 161 (66%) had no private health insurance. Regarding the use of drugs, 97% declared self-medication, with 78% claiming to be a simple health problem. The use of analgesics and antipyretics was reported in 84% of the interviewees, followed by autoregressive anti-inflammatory drugs (58%). Headache was the main cause of the use of nonprescription medication (84%). Among the interviewees, 70% were influenced by family members, neighbors and friends practicing self-medication. However, 63% reported receiving counseling at the time of purchase. Of the professional guidelines, 71% were by a pharmacist, being the dosage (dose and schedule) the main orientation received. Of the 183 women, 58% used contraception, and only 21% did not receive medical advice. Self-medication among college students at Sinop - MT is high, but they are similar to those reported in other studies. However, there was an expectation of a lower consumption because it was health students.

Nonprescription Medication Use in Hospice Patients.

Patients admitted to hospice are more vulnerable to age-related physiologic changes, polypharmacy, and inappropriate medication use and monitoring. The objective of this study was to characterize the utilization of nonprescription medications in a hospice population. This was a retrospective study designed to characterize nonprescription or over-the-counter medication use in hospice patients. Data for this study were provided by Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care, a national hospice organization with licenses to operate in 19 states and collected from January 1 to December 31, 2016. The most frequently utilized nonprescription medications, therapeutic classes, and the frequency of patients with at least 1 claim within a therapeutic class were summarized. The final study population included 62 639 orders representing 15 164 patients. The average age was 79.31 years with a standard deviation of 13.31 years. The average length of stay was 26.80 days with a standard deviation of 44.14 days. The top 5 most common medications were as follows: acetaminophen (25.15%), bisacodyl (21.69%), senna (8.35%), omeprazole (4.51%), and docusate (4.46%). Approximately 13 714 (29.67%) of patients were exposed to analgesics, 13 469 (29.14%) to laxatives, and 3535 (7.65%) to antacids or antigas medications. This study highlights numerous opportunities for improvement in the use of nonprescription medications among hospice patients. Reducing the use of nonprescription medications that are ineffective or produce unwanted side effects can contribute to improving the quality of care that patients receive.

Potential Dietary Supplement and Medication Interactions in a Subset of the Older Adult Population Attending Congregate Sites

This study assessed possible dietary supplement–medication interactions of 62 older adults recruited from 8 senior congregate sites in Bexar County, Texas. Dietary supplement and medication use were collected by paper questionnaire and potential supplement–medication interactions were assessed using online databases. The majority of participants reported dietary supplements (77%), non-prescription medication (50%), and prescription medication (73%) use. Fifty percent of participants who reported dietary supplement and medication use were at-risk for a potential supplement–medication interaction, ranging from one to eight potential interactions. Calcium and multivitamin-mineral supplements were the most common dietary supplements with potential medication interactions. Surveyed older adults reported dietary supplements should be reported to a physician (97%), but over 20% believe herbal products are pure (38%) and dietary supplements are risk free (34%) and will not cause harm (22%). In conclusion, regular education and screening of dietary supplement and medication use among older adults is recommended.

Prevalence of alcohol and medication use among elderly individuals in Spain

PurposeThe world’s aging population has led to a greater use of prescription and non-prescription medication by the elderly. Besides, older drinkers consume alcohol often regardless of the medication they consume. The purpose of this paper is to examine the intake of medication and alcohol simultaneously in a group of elderly in the community of Madrid, and the possible differences in consumption between men and women.Design/methodology/approachAn observational cross-sectional study of 342 elderly in Madrid, aged 65–96 years was conducted, including the collection of anthropometric data (weight, height, waist circumference, BMI), information about the quantity of daily alcohol intake and medication taken from each subject.FindingsA high percentage of the sample used medication, especially women. A smaller percentage of the sample consumed alcohol, being more frequent among men and decreasing with age. In addition, almost half of the sample (46.4 percent) combined medication intake with alcohol, especially men. High alcohol consumption was observed simultaneously in those subjects taking medication; in addition to the non-perception of the real risk to health. Statistically significant sex differences were observed, since men drank more, including when taking medication; although women may be more vulnerable to harm derived from alcohol.Originality/valueThis study contributed to estimate the risk to the public health of old people, and the integrity of their health, by observing the consumption of both medication and alcohol, given that medication taken in conjunction with alcohol can cause adverse side effects.