Self-Medication in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Survival of the Fittest

Abstract

After the WHO declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic intense scuffling against novel coronavirus was observed and established fatal in most regions of the world. High fatality rate and socioeconomic downfall affected the health of non victimized individuals and consequently, health care measures, scheduled clinical and hospital visits avoided by the population hence the adaptation of self-medication proved as the mere troubleshooter for the general population as a swift safeguard for the further possible vulnerable situation. The present study is designed to observe the adaptability of self-medication with pros and cons due to the involved factors of fear of coronavirus, among the general population and for purpose, a questionnaire on the Zenodo-scale was developed and asked to respond from adults and teens after taking consensus, that further analyzed through IBM SPSS Statistics Version 26. The outcome study was amazingly found with high compliance with self-medication among the focused population during the period of COVID. Estimated results showed highly significant correlation 0.000, p< 0.05 between the adaptation of self-medication and pandemic situation, which was estimated from Chi-square and Fisher tests. However, the fear of coronavirus made the practice or malpractice a survival of fittest, an embedded ability of human nature.

Extent of and Factors Associated with Self-Medication among Clients Visiting Community Pharmacies in the Era of COVID-19: Does It Relieve the Possible Impact of the Pandemic on the Health-Care System?

“…In this study, the extent of self-medication was found to be 73.6%, relatively similar to studies in Pakistan (64%), 43 Bangladesh (71.4%), 44 and Ethiopia (71.4%) 8 that were conducted in the analogous context of the COVID-19 pandemic, though greater than findings in Brazil (14.9%), 45 Tamil Nadu (17.8%), 46 Saudi Arabia (35.4%), 47 and India (35.1%). 14 Other results from Ethiopia in different towns further strengthen this difference: Welaita Soddo (33.7%), 48 Jijiga (37.5%), 2 Dessie (42.4%), 49 and Gonder (50.2%).…”

Self-Medication Practices in Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

“…Lockdown and isolation guidelines have prevented the population from visiting hospitals and clinics and have altered health-seeking behavior. As different SARS-CoV-2 variants keep emerging, people are likely to self-medicate ( 48 ). Medical students are also probable to keep self-medicating, which could be helpful in obtaining benefits of self-care, and alleviating burden on the healthcare system of the country by reducing number of physician visits ( 49 ).…”

Self-Medication with Antibiotics during COVID-19 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region Countries: A Review

“…Based on a study in Pakistan during the pandemic’s peak, fear of being exposed to the coronavirus in hospitals and clinics increased to an extent that people preferred to avoid their routine clinic visits and consultancy and turn toward self-medication. This issue is specifically higher in people suffering from diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, allergy, digestive disorders, etc., compared to people with no diseases as they believe coronavirus exposure is a high risk to their condition [ 46 ].…”

“…Our findings of SMA studies from EMR countries during COVID-19 report the prevalence of SMA practices spans from 20.8% to 45.8% [ 26 , 29 ]. Nonetheless, several factors led to the initiation of SMA [ 40 , 42 , 44 , 45 , 46 ]. Upon such bases, we suggest that SMA practices decreased during COVID-19, but the lack of sufficient studies reporting such in the EMR makes these findings inconclusive.…”