Predictive factors of self-medicated drug use among the Spanish adult population

• Published in: Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. 193 - 199
• Main Authors: Carrasco-Garrido, P., Jiménez-García, R., Barrera, V. Hernández, Gil de Miguel, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.02.2008
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Alcohol Drinking; Analgesics - therapeutic use; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Common Cold - drug therapy; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug Utilization - statistics & numerical data; Educational Status; Female; Forecasting; gender; health survey; Health Surveys; Humans; Influenza, Human - drug therapy; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Self Medication - statistics & numerical data; self-medication; Sex Factors; Smoking; Spain; Spain
• DOI: 10.1002/pds.1455
• ISSN: 1053-8569

Purpose Our study aimed at describing the prevalence of self‐medicated drug use among the Spanish adult population and to identify the predictive factors of such self‐medication in Spain. Methods Descriptive, cross‐sectional study covering the Spanish adult population, using data drawn from the 2003 Spanish National Health Survey (ENSS). A total of 19 514 subjects were analysed. The independent variables were socio‐demographic and health‐related, and the dependent variable was self‐medicated drug use. Using logistic multivariate regression models we have estimated the independent effect of each of these variables on the self‐medicated consumption. Results The 18.1% of all Spaniards indulge in self‐medication. Our study shows that 45% of all cold and influenza medication and 39.4% of analgesics consumed by the population involve self‐medication. It should be stressed here that 17.7% of persons who took antibiotics did so in the form of self‐medication. The variables that were independently and significantly associated with a greater probability of self‐medicated consumption were: sex; lower age; higher educational level; consumption of alcohol; smoking habit; use of alternative medical products; absence of chronic disease and a positive perception of health. Conclusions In Spain, the prevalence of self‐medicated drug use is higher in women than men. In our population, the influence of unhealthy lifestyles, such as alcohol and tobacco consumption, is related to a higher likelihood of self‐medication. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.