Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Predictors of self-medication in Serbian adult population: cross-sectional study

  • Research Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background In spite of many benefits for individuals and community, self-medication has a number of potential risks. Objective To identify predictors of self-medication with over-the-counter and prescription (Rx) medicines without doctor’s prescription. Setting Serbian population of 15 years of age and over. Method This was crosssectional, epidemiological study. Data have been drawn from Serbian National Health Survey 2013 database. Predictors of self-medication were determined among sociodemographic, health related and health services related factors, using multivariate logistic regression models. Main outcome measure Prevalence and predictors of selfmedication. Results The study included 14,623 participants. The prevalence of selfmedication was 27.1 and 24% after exclusion of vitamins, minerals and herbal preparations. Medicines for pain relief were the mostly used medicines without doctors’ prescription in 18.4% of participants. A relatively high prevalence of self-medication with Rx medicines, (1) tranquilizers and sleeping pills, (2) antibiotics and (3) antihypertensives, was found, 4, 2.5 and 1.9%, respectively. Socio-demographic factors (middle age, female gender, higher level of education), health related factors (chronic disease, stress, physical pain), and health service related factors (nonrealized healthcare needs due to long waiting, dissatisfaction with publicly funded health services) have been found as significantly associated with self-medication. Conclusion Self-medication in Serbia is predicted by socio-demographic and health related factors, unmet needs for healthcare and dissatisfaction with publicly funded healthcare services. Improvements in healthcare system, particularly, shortening of long waiting for healthcare services and improvements in pharmaceutical services, particularly better control of Rx medicines dispensing, could contribute in improvement of responsible self-medication.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Heads of Medicines Agencies. European Medicines Agency. EU Medicines Agencies Network Strategy to 2020. EMA/MB/151414/2015. 2015 Mar. http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Other/2015/03/WC500185138.pdf. Accessed 11 Feb 2018.

  2. Fassbender M. Rx-to-OTC switching: the heart of OTC market. 2016. http://www.in-pharmatechnologist.com/Regulatory-Safety/Rx-to-OTC-switching-the-heart-of-OTC-market-says-GBI. Accessed 11 Feb 2018.

  3. WHO. Guidelines for the regulatory assessment of medicinal products for use in self- medication. http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Jh1462e/6.html#Jh1462e.6.1. Accessed 11 Feb 2018.

  4. Bennadi D. Self-medication: a current challenge. J Basic Clin Pharm. 2014;5:19–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Rezaei M, Safavi ARA, Alavi NM, Kashefi H. Study of self medication in patients with diabetes using path analysis. J Diabetol. 2015;3:1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Sharma R, Verma U, Sharma C, Kapoor B. Self-medication among urban population of Jammu city. Indian J Pharmacol. 2005;37:40–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Chouhan K, Prasad SB. Self-medication and their consequences: a challenge to health professional. Asian J Pharm Clin Res. 2016;9:314–7.

    Google Scholar 

  8. National Health Insurance Fund. Number of insured persons, 2014. http://www.rfzo.rs/index.php/broj-osiguranika-stat. Accessed 11 Feb 2018.

  9. Radonjic V. Marketing and consumption of medicinal products for human use in Repubic of Serbia in 2013. Belgrade: Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lukovic JA, Miletic V, Pekmezovic T, Trajkovic G, Ratkovic N, Aleksic D, et al. Self-medication practices and risk factors for self-medication among medical students in Belgrade, Serbia. PLoS One. 2014;9:e114644.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. WHO. Health system financing profile by country. http://apps.who.int/nha/database/Country_Profile/Index/en. Accessed 11 Feb 2018.

  12. Carrasco-Garrido P, Jiménez-García R, Barrera VH, Gil de Miguel A. Predictive factors of self-medicated drug use among the Spanish adult population. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2008;17:193–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Mayer S, Österle A. Socioeconomic determinants of prescribed and non-prescribed medicine consumption in Austria. Eur J Public Health. 2015;25:597–603.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Carrasco-Garrido P, Hernández-Barrera V, López de Andrés A, Jiménez-Trujillo I, Jiménez-García R. Sex-differences on self-medication in Spain. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2010;19:1293–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. De Melo MN, Madureira B, Ferreira APN, Mendes Z, Miranda Ada C, Martins AP. Prevalence of self-medication in rural areas of Portugal. Pharm World Sci. 2006;28:19–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Martins PA, Miranda Ada C, Mendes Z, Soares MA, Ferreira P, Nogueira A. Self-medication in a Portuguese urban population: a prevalence study. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2002;11:409–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Du Y, Knopf H. Self-medication among children and adolescents in Germany: results of the National Health Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2009;68:599–608.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. World Medical Assembly. Helsinki Declaration. http://www.onlineethics.org/cms/10929.aspx. Accessed 11 Feb 2018.

  19. Law on Protection of Personal Data, Official Gazette of RS, No. 97/08, 104/09.

  20. Law on Official Statistics. Official Gazette of RS, No. 104/09.

  21. Directive of the European Parliament on Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data, 95/46/EC.

  22. Insitute of Public Health of Serbia. Results of the National Health Survey of the Republic of Serbia 2013. Belgrade; 2014. ISBN 978-86-7358-060-9.

  23. European Commission European Health Interview Survey (EHIS wave 2). Methodological manual. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union; 2013. P. 193. ISBN 978-92-79-29424-2.

  24. Shaghaghi A, Asadi M, Allahverdipour H. Predictors of self-medication behavior: a systematic review. Iran J Public Health. 2014;43:136–46.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Jain S, Malvi R, Purviya JK. Concept of self medication: a review. Int J Pharm Biol Sci Arch. 2011;2:831–6.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Whiskey E, Taylor D. A review of the adverse effects and safety of noradrenergic antidepressants. J Psychopharmacol. 2013;27:732–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Lader M. Benzodiazepine harm: How can it be reduced? Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2014;77:295–301.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Montejo AL, Montejo L, Navarro-Cremades F. Sexual side-effects of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2015;28:418–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Murphy Y, Wilson E, Goldner EM, Fischer B. Benzodiazepine use, misuse, and harm at the population level in Canada: a comprehensive narrative review of data and developments since 1995. Clin Drug Investig. 2016;36:519–30.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to all participants of Serbian National Health Survey 2013. We are also very grateful to Marina Cvijić, Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Ivan Čvorović, M.D., native English speaker, for editing of the manuscript.

Funding

No funding has been received for this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. City Institute of Public Health, Boulevard Despota Stefana 54a, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia

    Katica Tripković & Andjelija Nešković

  2. Institute of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 15, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia

    Janko Janković

  3. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 450, Belgrade, 11221, Serbia

    Marina Odalović

Authors
  1. Katica Tripković
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andjelija Nešković
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Janko Janković
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Marina Odalović
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marina Odalović.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tripković, K., Nešković, A., Janković, J. et al. Predictors of self-medication in Serbian adult population: cross-sectional study. Int J Clin Pharm 40, 627–634 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-018-0624-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-018-0624-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation