A comparative analysis of self-treatment in a population of medical students in 2012 and 2017

Background. The use of over-the-counter (OTC) medication without consulting a doctor has become increasingly common. Objectives. To compare the scale of self-treatment in a population of students of the Medical University of Bialystok in 2012 and 2017. Material and methods. The study included 217 students in 2012 and 220 students in 2017, and used a proprietary questionnaire. Results. A total of 78.8% of students in 2012 and 86.4% in 2017 were familiar with the meaning of the abbreviation OTC. When using an OTC drug for the first time, most students consulted a nurse (66.4%) in 2012, while in 2017, students usually consulted a family member (68.8%). Headache was the main reason for using OTC drugs (89.4% in 2012, and 92.7% in 2017). The use of analgesics (87.1%) and the use of OTC medicines in accordance with the leaflet (47%) predominated in 2012, while vitamin therapy (83.2%) took first place in 2017. When purchasing OTC medications, students usually based their decision on their own experience (63.1% in 2012 and 84.1% in 2017). A total of 35.5% of the students in 2012 and 39.1% in 2017 always read the leaflet. Conclusions. Self-medication was practiced by most students in both years, with lack of time for a medical appointment being the main reason. Over the last 6 months, the students most often used prescription and non-prescription drugs simultaneously.