Automedicación y factores asociados en estudiantes del Colegio Manuela Garaícoa de Calderón, Cuenca 2012

Abstract

Background: Today self-medication is a global problem. The prevalence of this practice varies among populations. However, the result of these are high and are putting the adolescents at risk, and especially if the patients are adolescents.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of self-medication and associated factors in the students from “Manuela Garaicoa de Calderon” high school, during the period 2011-2012.

Methodology: We conducted a descriptive study and cross-sectional of prevalence on 312 female students of “Manuela Garaicoa de Calderón" high school in Cuenca. Data collection was carried out with the authorities and students, through a survey with questions on self-medication. Also we collected demographic data such as: age, grade and residence. Data were entered into a database in SPSS 15.0 and are presented in distribution tables.

Results: The average age was 16.60 years with a DS of 1.17 years; 65.1% of students living in urban areas; the prevalence of self-medication was up to 51%; the most common medicaments used were analgesics and anti-inflammatories up to 84.3%; the majority of teenagers who self-medicated sporadically, said that the main reason for this practice were the mild symptoms they presented (68.6%). Their main source of information was the advice or recommendation of a friend or relative (47.8%). 69.8%: the pharmacy was the place for medicine acquisition; 16.4% of the population has knowledge of pharmacology. According to the results of self-medication, 28.3% didn´t improve their symptoms completely; 43.4% of the population is unaware of the risks of self-medication. Self-medication increases with age and is higher in urban residents; only the variable "year of study" was significant to associate with self-medication (p> 0.05).

Conclusions: Self-medication in this population is high, putting in risk students, who lack knowledge about the effects, or who don´t access to information which increases the risk of adolescents, who are exposed, noting that self-medication is a bad and risky practice.