ABSTRACT
Purpose: Self-medication (SM) using non-opioid analgesics (NOA) is contentious and increasingly recognized as a major public health concern with severe consequences, including masking of malignant and fatal diseases, risk of misdiagnosis, problems relating to over- and under-dosing, drug interactions, incorrect dosage, and choice of therapy. Herein, we aim to determine the prevalence of SM with NOA among pharmacy and medical students at Unaizah College, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study using a validated self-administered questionnaire was conducted on 709 pharmacy and medicine students belonging to an age group of 21-24 years from Unaizah Colleges. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: Of 709 participants, 635 responded to the questionnaire. Our results showed a prevalence percentage of 89.6% using self-medicated NOA for pain management. The most common factor leading to SM in NOA was the mild nature of the illness (50.6%), and headache/migraine (66.8%) was the dominant health problem. Paracetamol (acetaminophen, 73.7%) was the most commonly used analgesic, followed by ibuprofen (16.5%). The most common and reliable sources of drug information were pharmacists (51.5%). Conclusion: We observed a high rate of SM for NOA among undergraduate students. We believe that the adverse consequences of SM could be controlled through educational, regulatory, and administrative strategies by providing appropriate awareness sessions, and the role of pharmacists should be highlighted in preventing SM from NOA.
ABSTRACT
Background: Little is known regarding the post-dispensing storage conditions for pharmaceuticals in Saudi Arabia (SA). Most parts of the region are usually hot and humid, which could result in the decline of crucial performance parameters. Objective: To determine the prevalence of household drug storage habits in the population of Qassim, and to investigate their storage behaviors as well as knowledge and awareness of factors that may affect drug stability. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a simple random sampling technique in the Qassim region. Data were collected over a period of 3 months using a well-structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Results: More than six hundred households from all regions of Qassim in SA participated in this study. Approximately 95% of the participants stored 1-5 drugs at home. Analgesics and antipyretics were the highest household reported drugs (71.9%), with tablets and capsules dosage forms (72.3%). More than half of the participants (54.6%) stored drugs in their home refrigerators. Approximately 45% of the participants regularly checked the expiry dates of household drugs and immediately discarded them once their color changed. Only 11% of the participants shared drugs with others. We found that the number of drugs stored at home is heavily influenced by the number of family members in general and the number of members with medical issues in particular. Moreover, Saudi female participants with higher levels of education demonstrated better behaviors in terms of ensuring appropriate conditions for household drug storage. Conclusion: The majority of participants stored drugs in the home refrigerator or other easily accessible places, which may lead to toxicity or health risks, particularly for children. Therefore, population education and awareness programs should be implemented to raise awareness about the consequences of drug storage conditions in terms of the stability, efficacy, and safety of medications.
