Mediterranean Journal Of Pharmacy And Pharmaceutical Sciences
Self-medication patterns among libyan university medical students
267 Views Original Article
Self-medication, the practice of using medications without professional guidance, is a significant public health concern globally, particularly among medical students who, despite their pharmacological training, often engage in this practice at high rates. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence and patterns of self-medication among medical students at the University of Tripoli, Libya. A sample of 121 undergraduate medical students was surveyed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The results revealed a high prevalence of self-medication (82.6%), with analgesics (51.2%) and vitamins (31.4%) being the most commonly used medications. Headache (80.4%), pain (79.9%), and respiratory issues (73.2%) were the primary health complaints prompting self-medication. Key determinants included pharmacist advice (43.8%), prior medical knowledge (32.2%), and recommendations from family or friends (12.4%). Factors such as residing in Tripoli and higher parental education levels were significantly associated with increased self-medication practices. Notably, 62.0% of the students reported using antibiotics without a prescription, raising concerns about antimicrobial resistance. The study highlights the need for educational interventions to promote responsible self-medication practices among medical students, emphasizing the risks associated with inappropriate drug use. Addressing these issues early in medical education could help mitigate the public health implications of widespread self-medication.
Article Subject Details
Article Keywords Details
Article File
Full Text PDFMore Article by Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
The current covid-19 is now endemic on everycontinent and becomes the most challenging outbreaks over centuries, thus millions of people have been infected with the novel coronavir...
It is with more sorrow and tremendous sadness we remember the death of our colleague the libyan pharmacist, professor mokhtar ramadan haman, at his home in tripoli, libya after lon...
The 2019 coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic is spreading worldwide, with a spectacular increase in death missing any effective therapeutic treatment up to now. molecular docking is a ...
Plants are an ancient source of medicine due to the presence of bioactive molecules of various compounds in their different parts. convolvulus dorycnium plant belongs to the family...