Patterns of Self-medication During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Colombian population

Abstract

Introduction: Self-medication is considered one of the most relevant problems for public health, since it is described as the voluntary use of drugs by the patient. Since the beginning of the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been evident that this practice has increased considerably, especially in the adult population. Objective: To evaluate the different patterns that influence self-medication during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A survey was conducted among the population of two vicinities of Bogota and the statistical program SPSS was used for data analysis to identify the main practices that increase the risks derived from self-medication, the most used drugs and their adverse effects. Socioeconomic factors related to self-medication were evaluated. A comparative study was carried out to observe their behavior before and during the pandemic. Additionally, the influence of the people who are part of the family and social environment on self-medication was evaluated. Results: The total number of surveys carried out was 301. The average age was 44.18 years. It was found that before the pandemic there was a higher frequency of self-medication of analgesics (49.1 %) and anti-influenza drugs (19.5 %), and during the pandemic it was of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (4.43 %), home remedies (6.69 %) and antibiotics (30.38 %). In addition, it was found that those who had the greatest influence on self-medication were family members (23.9 %), friends or acquaintances (17.3 %) and the pharmaceutical chemist (5.0 %). Conclusions: It is evident that during the COVID-19 pandemic self-medication is higher than in the pre-pandemic era, increasing the risk of adverse events and compromised patient safety. © 2023, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved.