SELF-MEDICATION WITH ANALGESICS AMONG MEDICAL AND PHARMACY STUDENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF DUHOK - KURDISTAN REGION, IRAQ
Keywords:
self-medication, analgesics, students, pharmacy, medical.
Abstract
Self-medication refers to the use of medications without any medical consultation. It is a prevalent practice among the general population and university students according to many studies in Europe, United States and in the neighbor countries in our region. Analgesics are the most popular medications used for self-medication. Few studies have been conducted in our area.
The study aims to evaluate self-medication trends with analgesics among medicine and pharmacy students at Duhok University in Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
Between November 2017 and April 2018, a cross-sectional questionnaire-based analysis of undergraduate medical and pharmacy students at University of Duhok was performed. In the questionnaire, 267 students engaged and filled in. The data were processed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences.
Self-medication was highly prevalent among medical and pharmacy students (85 %). The most prominent factor for self-medication with analgesics was the prior experience with using the same analgesic (56.9 %). Headaches were the most frequent symptom that lead to self-medication (51.3 %). Paracetamol was a widely applied analgesic (38.3 %). The internet (44.6 %) was the most prevalent source of information for self-medication. Approximately 86% of students chose to take the analgesic only where there is serious pain.
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References
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Sarahroodi, S., Maleki-Jamshid, A., Sawalha, A. F., Mikaili, P., & Safaeian, L. (2012). Pattern of self-medication with analgesics among Iranian University students in central Iran. Journal of family & community medicine, 19(2), 125.
Sawair, F. A., Baqain, Z. H., Karaky, A. A., & Eid, R. A. (2009). Assessment of self-medication of antibiotics in a Jordanian population. Medical Principles and Practice, 18(1), 21-25.
Segall, A. (1990). A community survey of self-medication activities. Medical Care, 301-310.
Sharif, S. I., Ibrahim, O. H. M., Mouslli, L., & Waisi, R. (2012). Evaluation of self-medication among pharmacy students. American Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 7(4), 135-140.
Shivamurthy, S., Manchukonda, R., & Gurappanavar, D. (2017). Evaluation of analgesic self-medication pattern among under-graduate medical students of Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, BG Nagar, Karnataka: a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. 2017, 4(3), 4. Retrieved from https://www.ijbcp.com/index.php/ijbcp/article/view/761. doi:10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20150010
Tackett, B. N., Smith, M. C., & Nedorost, S. T. (2006). Morbidity of over-the-counter topical steroids. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 54(1), 182.
Tanwar, K., & Mathur, S. (2017). To study the pattern, efficacy and tolerability of analgesic self-medication among undergraduate medical students: a questionnaire-based survey. Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol, 4(3), 3.
Turunen, J. H., Mäntyselkä, P. T., Kumpusalo, E. A., & Ahonen, R. S. (2004). How do people ease their pain? A population-based study. The Journal of pain, 5(9), 498-504.
Aljinović-Vučić, V., Trkulja, V., & Lacković, Z. (2005). Content of home pharmacies and self-medication practices in households of pharmacy and medical students in Zagreb, Croatia: findings in 2001 with a reference to 1977. Croatian Medical Journal, 46(1).
Alsous, M., Elayeh, E., Jalil, M. A., & Alhawmdeh, E. (2018). Evaluation of Self-Medication Practice among Pharmacy Students in Jordan. Jordan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 11(1).
Amin, S., Abid, F., Javeed, A., Ashraf, M., Riaz, A., Mushtaq, M. H., . . . Yaqoob, M. (2014). A cross sectional study on self-medication with analgesic among pharmacy students of Lahore, Pakistan. Science International, 26(3).
Antonov, K. I., & Isacson, D. G. (1998). Prescription and nonprescription analgesic use in Sweden. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 32(4), 485-494.
Ashina, S., Zeeberg, P., Jensen, R., & Ashina, M. (2006). Medication overuse headache. Ugeskrift for laeger, 168(10), 1015-1019.
Assael, L. A. (2006). The pill culture, the pill society. Journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery, 64(9), 1331-1332.
Bauchner, H., & Wise, P. H. (2000). Antibiotics without prescription:“bacterial or medical resistance”? The Lancet, 355(9214), 1480.
Bennadi, D. (2013). Self-medication: A current challenge. Journal of basic and clinical pharmacy, 5(1), 19.
Buke, C., Hosgor-Limoncu, M., Ermertcan, S., Ciceklioglu, M., Tuncel, M., Köse, T., & Eren, S. (2005). Irrational use of antibiotics among university students. Journal of infection, 51(2), 135-139.
Calabresi, P., & Cupini, L. M. (2005). Medication-overuse headache: similarities with drug addiction. Trends in pharmacological sciences, 26(2), 62-68.
Cepeda, M. S., & Carr, D. B. (2003). Women experience more pain and require more morphine than men to achieve a similar degree of analgesia. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 97(5), 1464-1468.
Cushing, H. (1925). The life of sir William Osler. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association, 14(4), 50.
Fillingim, R. B. (2017). Sex, gender, and pain. In Principles of Gender-Specific Medicine (pp. 481-496): Elsevier.
French, L., Horton, J., & Matousek, M. (2004). Abnormal vaginal discharge: what does and does not work in treating underlying causes. Journal of family practice, 53, 890-903.
Ibrahim, N. K., Alamoudi, B. M., Baamer, W. O., & Al-Raddadi, R. M. (2015). Self-medication with analgesics among medical students and interns in King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Pakistan journal of medical sciences, 31(1), 14.
Jasim, A. L., Fadhil, T. A., & Taher, S. S. (2014). Self-medication practice among Iraqi patients in Baghdad City. Am J Pharmacol Sci, 2(1), 18-23.
Kumar, A., & Vandana, A. N. A. (2016). Analgesics self-medication and its association with sleep quality among medical undergraduates. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research: JCDR, 10(12), FC07.
Lau, G. S., Lee, K. K., & Luk, M. C. (1995). Self-medication among university students in Hong Kong. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 8(3), 153-157.
Neafsey, P. J. (2004). Self-medication practices that alter the efficacy of selected cardiac medications. Home Healthcare Now, 22(2), 88-98.
Nordeng, H., & Havnen, G. C. (2005). Impact of socio-demographic factors, knowledge and attitude on the use of herbal drugs in pregnancy. Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 84(1), 26-33.
Papakosta, M., Zavras, D., & Niakas, D. (2014). Investigating factors of self-care orientation and self-medication use in a Greek rural area.
Paulose‐Ram, R., Hirsch, R., Dillon, C., & Gu, Q. (2005). Frequent monthly use of selected non‐prescription and prescription non‐narcotic analgesics among US adults. Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety, 14(4), 257-266.
Porteous, T., Bond, C., Hannaford, P., & Sinclair, H. (2005). How and why are non-prescription analgesics used in Scotland? Family Practice, 22(1), 78-85.
Raosoft, I. (2004). Sample size calculator. Retrieved January 6, 2018, from ww raosoft com/samplesize.
Rosseland, L. A., & Stubhaug, A. (2004). Gender is a confounding factor in pain trials: women report more pain than men after arthroscopic surgery. Pain, 112(3), 248-253.
Roumie, C. L., & Griffin, M. R. (2004). Over-the-counter analgesics in older adults. Drugs & aging, 21(8), 485-498.
Sarahroodi, S., & Arzi, A. (2009). Self-medication with antibiotics, is it a problem among Iranian college students in Tehran. J Biol Sci, 9(8), 829-832.
Sarahroodi, S., Maleki-Jamshid, A., Sawalha, A. F., Mikaili, P., & Safaeian, L. (2012). Pattern of self-medication with analgesics among Iranian University students in central Iran. Journal of family & community medicine, 19(2), 125.
Sawair, F. A., Baqain, Z. H., Karaky, A. A., & Eid, R. A. (2009). Assessment of self-medication of antibiotics in a Jordanian population. Medical Principles and Practice, 18(1), 21-25.
Segall, A. (1990). A community survey of self-medication activities. Medical Care, 301-310.
Sharif, S. I., Ibrahim, O. H. M., Mouslli, L., & Waisi, R. (2012). Evaluation of self-medication among pharmacy students. American Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 7(4), 135-140.
Shivamurthy, S., Manchukonda, R., & Gurappanavar, D. (2017). Evaluation of analgesic self-medication pattern among under-graduate medical students of Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, BG Nagar, Karnataka: a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. 2017, 4(3), 4. Retrieved from https://www.ijbcp.com/index.php/ijbcp/article/view/761. doi:10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20150010
Tackett, B. N., Smith, M. C., & Nedorost, S. T. (2006). Morbidity of over-the-counter topical steroids. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 54(1), 182.
Tanwar, K., & Mathur, S. (2017). To study the pattern, efficacy and tolerability of analgesic self-medication among undergraduate medical students: a questionnaire-based survey. Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol, 4(3), 3.
Turunen, J. H., Mäntyselkä, P. T., Kumpusalo, E. A., & Ahonen, R. S. (2004). How do people ease their pain? A population-based study. The Journal of pain, 5(9), 498-504.
Published
2021-04-05
How to Cite
ABDULLAH, R. G., ABDULKADER, M. A., AHMED, S. A., ALI, D. J., SHAREEF, L. S., YOUSIF , D. S., & RASHEED, L. M. (2021). SELF-MEDICATION WITH ANALGESICS AMONG MEDICAL AND PHARMACY STUDENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF DUHOK - KURDISTAN REGION, IRAQ. Journal of Duhok University, 24(1), 32-38. https://doi.org/10.26682/sjuod.2021.24.1.5
Section
Pure and Engineering Sciences
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