To identify the sociodemographic factors associated to self-medication (i.e. use of non-prescription medicines) and undesirable self-medication, a cross-sectional study was carried out using a sample (n = 20,311) representative of the population of adults of 16 years of age and older in Spain. Multivariate Cox's regression was used. The prevalence of self-medication in the sample was 12.7% during the two weeks preceding the interview. Self-medication is more prevalent among women, persons who live alone, and persons who live in large cities. For persons who reported acute disorders, self-medication prevalence was higher among those with higher educational levels. The prevalence of undesirable self-medication in the sample was 2.5% during the two weeks previous to the interview. Undesirable self-medication is twice as common among persons older than 40 years, as compared to persons younger than 27 years. Undesirable self-medication prevalence is 53.0% higher among those who live alone as compared to those who live with their partner (95% confidence interval (CI): 15.2-103.2) and 36.8% higher among students as compared to full-time workers (95% CI: 1.9-83.5). People over 40 years of age, people living alone, and students should be the priority target populations for public health education programs aimed at improving the quality of self-medication behavior.

The educational landscape has changed in recent years, requiring reflection about new pedagogical methods and theories. There are three important perspectives as drivers of pedagogical reflection: lifelong and life‐wide learning, the idea of learning as a social construct in which internal elements and changing external factors converge, and the recognition of technology as a resource that can promote ubiquitous and expanded learning. Learning ecology has been proposed as a conceptual and empirical framework, but its still emergent nature along with its multidimensionality and complexity require further exploration. The Delphi study we present as part of a broader research project aims to identify the components of learning ecologies. Three panel rounds with international experts were carried out, after which two important dimensions emerged in the structure of learning ecologies. The first is related to intrinsic “learning dispositions,” which is made up of three categories: the subject's ideas about learning, their motivations and expectations. The second dimension, called “learning processes,” comprises four components: relationships, resources, actions and context. The identification of the components of learning ecologies and their influence on formal, non‐formal and informal training processes will provide guidance for educational policies and help to better organize training programmes.

The study results suggest that in order to decrease prescription amounts it is necessary to limit the role of pharmaceutical companies in physician training, improve physician education and training, and emphasize more objective sources of information.

A single, short educational session to primary care doctors can improve their prescribing standards during long periods of > or = 9 months. Of the 2 strategies followed in the trial, one-to-one education has shown to be the most effective. Results also show that the effectiveness of these interventions increases when presented together with written material.

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Study results suggest that in order to improve the quality of drugs prescribed, physician education and training must be improved and the role of pharmaceutical companies in physician training should be limited, emphasising more objective sources of information, such as therapeutic guidelines. Our results also underline the need to complete the reform of our primary care system and promote better relationships among physicians and between physicians and patients.

Our results show the number of working hours of the pharmacist and the amount of customers are associated with PhCwD. So working hours and amount customers should be reduced. Other factor that should be taken into account is the fact that pharmacists with less experience should give less counsels. Thus during the university period pharmacist counselling should be studied. Finally, our results show that an important proportion of counselling is given regardless the dispensation process, and this should be taken into account when defining the pharmacists remuneration system.

Our results suggest that to increase the quality of dispensing: a) the importance of the pharmacist's duty in controlling drug consumption should be stressed; b) pharmacies' workload should be optimized; and c) perceptions of physicians' prescribing practices among pharmacists should be improved.