Self-Medication Profile of Adult Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders in Southeast Brazil

• Published in: Iranian journal of public health Vol. 51; no. 5; pp. 990 - 998
• Main Authors: Campos, Tomie T. De, Katekawa, Lena, Shinkai, Rosemary S. A., Furuyama, Ricardo J., Missaka, Reinaldo, Mita, Daniela, De Oliveira, Ana Paula L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tehran Tehran University of Medical Sciences 01.05.2022
• Subjects: Analgesics; Anti-inflammatory agents; Chi-square test; Drugs; Health problems; Independent variables; Inflammation; Minority & ethnic groups; Orofacial pain; Pain; Patients; Regression analysis; Regression models; Self-medication; Side effects; Signs and symptoms; Social factors; Socioeconomic factors; Socioeconomics; Statistical analysis; Statistical tests; Temporomandibular disorder; Temporomandibular joint disorders; Women; Brazil
• ISSN: 2251-6085; 2251-6093
• DOI: 10.18502/ijph.v51i5.9414

Background: Patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) often have orofacial pain and may use medication without professional prescription. Self-medication and inappropriate drug intake may cause serious health problems. This cross-sectional study evaluated the self-medication profile of TMD patients, the most used medications and their effect, and the relation between self-medication and socioeconomic factors. Methods: A non-representative sample (n=358) consisted of consecutive adult patients seeking TMD treatment in specialized referral centers for orofacial pain of two universities in São Paulo city, Brazil. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect the study variables before the TMD treatment: self-medication history, TMD pain intensity, sex, age, ethnicity, marital status, schooling and socioeconomic levels. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression models at the 0.05 significance level. Results: Almost 60% of 358 TMD patients reported self-medication. Patients with severe TMD were 4.7 times more likely to self-medicate when compared to patients with low TMD intensity (O=5.7; 95% CI=2.4; 13.3; P=0.043), as well as female patients were 30% more likely to self-medicate compared to male patients (OR=2.3; 95% CI=1.1; 5.1; P<0.001). The other independent variables were not associated with self-medication. The frequencies of moderate and severe TMD in women were larger than in those in men (P<0.001). Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs were the most used medications. Regarding medication efficacy, 82% of patients reported some improvement after use, but 9% reported side-effect sickness. Conclusion: Self-medication is common among TMD patients attending specialized clinics, and this inappropriate practice is more likely to occur in women and in patients with severe signs and symptoms of TMD.