Estudio sobre Automedicación en Población Universitaria Española

Abstract

RESUMENObjetivo. La automedicación es una práctica común en diferentes sociedades que puede tener importantes implicaciones sanitarias. Esta práctica ha sido poco estudiada hasta ahora en población universitaria española. Nuestro objetivo es cuantificar esta actividad y estudiar los factores asociados a la misma. Material y método. Se diseñó y facilitó un cuestionario para su autocumplimentación a una muestra de población universitaria. Se evaluó el impacto de tres variables principales sobre la automedicación: sexo, estudios sanitarios y hábitos de información sobre medicamentos. Se emplearon en el análisis los test de Chi Cuadrado, junto a técnicas de regresión logística. Resultados. La práctica de automedicación fue confirmada en el 90,8% de los 501 individuos que contestaron correctamente la encuesta. Esta práctica fue significativamente más frecuente en mujeres. El grupo de medicamentos más frecuentemente consumido fueron los analgésicos/antiinflamatorios (consumidos por el 73% de los automedicadores). Las mujeres consumieron significativamente más anticatarrales (OR = 1,70), mientras que los hombres consumieron más antibióticos (OR = 1,88). Los individuos con hábitos de información sobre medicamentos presentaron un menor consumo de antibióticos (OR = 2,15). Conclusiones. La práctica de la automedicación es elevada en población universitaria valenciana y mayor de la reportada anteriormente en nuestro país. El sexo y los hábitos de información están asociados a la automedicación en determinados grupos de medicamentos. Palabras clave. Automedicación, Estudiantes, Universidad. ABSTRACTStudy on self-medication in the Spanish university population Aims. Self-medication is a common behaviour that can have serious effects on health. This practice has been little studied in Spanish university population. Our aim is to assess the importance of this behaviour and to study its associated factors. Material and methods. A self-completed questionnaire was designed and administered to a sample of Spanish university students. The impact of sex, type of studies and drug information habits was assessed. Chi-square and logistic regression models were undertaken. Results. Self-medication was confirmed in 90.8% of the 501 individuals that correctly answered the questionnaire. This practice was significantly more common among women. The analgesic/anti-inflammatory group of drugs was the most frequently consumed (73% of self-medicators). Women significantly consumed more anticatarrhals (OR=1.70), whereas antibiotics were more consumed by men (OR=1.88). Furthermore, individuals with good drug information habits had less antibiotic consumption (OR=2.15). Conclusions. Self-medication is a very common habit in Valencian university population, and is the highest reported to date in our country. Sex and drug information habits are associated with self-medication in some groups of drugs. Key words. Self Medication, Students, University. INTRODUCCIÓNLa automedicación puede ser definida de forma genérica como la administración por decisió...

Factores económicos, sociales y culturales asociados con automedicación

“…Self-medication is very common in this Colombian population according to this study, which revealed that at least three quarters of the people have self-medicated at least once in their life and one third during the month prior to the survey. These results are similar to those reported in Colombia (77.5% vs. 21.8-97.0%) (12)(13)(14) and globally (77.5% vs. 14.0-90.8%) (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)15).…”

“…There are few studies that have looked at a whole city, and the numbers reported by local and international studies show a wide variability influenced by a variety of factors including variables measured and differences in population characteristics (students, children, pregnant women or elderly population), as well as use of different drug groups and period over which self-medication was reported (lifespan or a defined period of time) that complicate data comparison (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15).…”

“…The most commonly used drugs for self-medication in this study, i.e., analgesics (including anti-flu drugs), NSAIDs and antihistamines, are also the most prevalent in worldwide studies (1,4,(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17) and are related to the problems for which people selfmedicate. Some authors argue that this is because analgesics/antipyretics constitute the first line of medical intervention in many communities (15).…”

“…In Colombia, prevalence has been found to vary from 21.8% to 97.0%; the rate varies between countries: Spain (14.0%-90.8%), Brazil (29.4%-86.4%), China (47.8%), United Arab Emirates (49.0%), Niger (53.2%), India (57.0%), Ghana (70.0%) and Iran (76.6%) suggesting that different population characteristics are associated with self-medication (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16).…”

“…Self-medication is the treatment of common health problems with medication tagged for those indications and safe enough to be used without a medical prescription (1). However, the indiscriminate consumption of drugs is considered a public health problem that entails disadvantages including diminishing clinical effectiveness, an increase in treatment durations and prolongation of recovery.…”