ABSTRACT
Introduction: Self medication is a component of self care and it is considered as primary public health resource in health care system. It can be defined as use of non-prescription medicines by people on their own initiative. Dentists, together with doctors and veterinarians, comprise the professional classes that may and must prescribe medications for their patients. On the other hand, the nursing professionals are the ones who more administer drugs to patients in the ambulatory and hospital. Objective: This study was aimed to find out the frequency of self medication in selected university students, to find out the difference in the proportions of self medication between dentistry and nursing students, as well to evaluate the students' knowledge of harmful effects of self medication and common problems of students that use the self medication. Material and methods: We were applied 209 questionnaires among dentistry students from the 3rd to 8th semesters at the Paulista University/Goiânia and 542 among nursing students from the 3rd to 8th semesters at the Estacio de Sa University of Goiás. Results and conclusion: In the present study was observed a high rate of self-medication among undergraduate students in the health area, particularly among the dentistry and nurse students. The result was alarming because the professional him/herself who should educate patients and dissuade them from this practice is a habitual user; it makes it more difficult to aspire to the future inhibition and reduction of this practice that is so harmful to health.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Self-medication is a procedure fundamentally characterized by the sick person, or person responsible for his/her care, taking the initiative to obtain or produce and use a product they believe will bring benefits in the treatment of diseases or relief of symptoms. Dentists, together with doctors and veterinarians, comprise the professional classes that may and must prescribe medications for their patients. Therefore, it is believed that these individuals, as a result of their duties, are professionals that know, understand and make an exhaustive study of medications. Objective and Methodology: Based on this, a research was conducted among the academic students of the dentistry course at Paulista University, Flamboyant campus, Goiânia, GO, Brazil, during which 209 questionnaires were applied among students from the 3rd to 8th periods. Results: The purpose of applying these questionnaires was to trace a profile with regard to the use of medications without medical prescription, and high incidence was found among academic students, both as regards the quantity of medica-tions and variety of substances used. Conclusions: The result was an alert that irrespective of the individual's knowledge, whether it involved a layperson or professional qualified for prescription, this habit repeated it. This is an alarming fact, because if the professional him/herself, who should educate patients and dissuade them from this practice, is a habitual user, it becomes more difficult to aspire to the future inhibition and reduction of this practice that is so harmful to health.