Over-the-Counter Medication Use among Parents in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction: Self-medication is a growing public health concern worldwide. Studies have shown a gap between best practice and the current practice of using over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Despite being a well-recognised problem in Saudi Arabia, few studies have investigated OTC medication use in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the attitudes and knowledge of parents regarding OTC medication use in the Jeddah region, Saudi Arabia. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out via an electronic questionnaire sent randomly to parents over four months, from 1 January to 30 April 2022. The participants’ characteristics and categorical variables were represented descriptively by frequency and percentage. A Chi-square test was used to test the relationship between the variables. Results: In total, 211 questionnaires were included in this study. Females represented 54.5% of the participants included in the study. Parents belonging to the 18-to-30-year-old group comprised the highest percentage (37.9%), and most of the parents (72.9%) had received an undergraduate education. Family physicians were the most common source (37.3%) of information about OTC medications, whereas more than half of parents purchased OTC medications from the community pharmacy (58.8%). While almost half of the parents (52.1%) visited a family physician when side effects of OTC medications appeared in their children, only (33.6%) stopped giving their children the OTC medicine. The relationship between the sociodemographic characteristics (including educational level, marital status, and employment status) and OTC drug consumption was significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Educational campaigns are needed to guide patients about the proper use of OTC medications. Studies on OTC medication use are lacking in Saudi Arabia in terms of its frequency, reasons for use, type of self-medication, and contributing factors.

Prevalence of Self-Medication Among Female University Students During Examinations: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

“…In the earlier findings, poor knowledge levels about self-medication were mentioned, which corresponded to the findings of other international studies done with university students [ 22 - 24 ]. Despite the misuse of OTC medications and the resulting medicine-related issues, their number in the market and the prevalence of usage are escalating in certain countries [ 2 ].…”

“…Across the world, the practice of using over-the-counter (OTC) drugs for self-medicating is more prevalent than the use of prescription drugs [1][2][3]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) specifications, both developed and developing countries reveal that the practice of self-medication has become an essential part of daily life and plays a vital part in the healthcare system as the socio-economic status and education levels of the population continue to improve [4,5].…”

A cross-sectional survey among parents to report challenges and barriers in the administration of medicines to children in United Arab Emirates

“…24 Educational campaigns for responsible self-medication should be strengthened by encouraging community pharmacies to take the initiative to actively guide and educate patients about the proper use of over-the-counter medications. 25 Continuous efforts should be made to create age-appropriate formulations that offer both dosing flexibility and palatable taste. There is still room for improvement in terms of improving parents' health performance and increasing their knowledge of some antibiotic-related health issues.…”

“…Educational campaigns for responsible self-medication should be strengthened by encouraging community pharmacies to take the initiative to actively guide and educate patients about the proper use of over-the-counter medications. 25 …”

Public Awareness and Practice Regarding Over-the-Counter Medications: A Cross-Sectional Study in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

“…Study findings in the Dammam district revealed that more than half of the people (66%) lacked appropriate understanding regarding OTC pharmaceuticals. Purchases of OTC medications from community pharmacies were rather popular in the Qassim region (75%), with the most frequent reason for doing so being the renewal of a prior prescription from a medical professional (30%) [ 9 ].…”