Self-medication for Oral and Non-oral Conditions among Visitors of Outpatient Clinics- Alexandria- Egypt

Aim: To assess the prevalence of self-medication for non-oral and oral conditions and associated factors.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration: The outpatient clinics of Alexandria University teaching hospital, Alexandria, Egypt in 2015.

Methodology: Visitors responded to a pilot-tested Arabic questionnaire that collected information about medical and dental histories, self-medication and its reasons. The study outcomes were the most frequent non-oral and oral conditions for which antibiotics self-medication was used. Regression analysis was used to assess the association with independent variables and the relationship between the two outcomes.

Results: The response rate was 94.3%. The prevalence of antibiotics self-medication for non-oral and oral conditions was 31.6% and 19.4%. The most frequent non-oral and oral conditions where antibiotics self-medication occurred were common cold and toothache (26.3% and 18.2%). Perceiving the condition as non-serious and leftover medications were associated with higher odds of antibiotics self-medication for common cold and toothache (OR= 1.99, 1.99 and 2.84, 1.81). Antibiotics self-medications for the two conditions were strongly associated (OR= 52.00).

Conclusions: Self-medications for oral and non-oral conditions are associated and related to modifiable factors including how serious the patients perceive their condition to be and if they have access to left-over medication.