The increase in self-medication in medical students: an integrative literature review

• Autor(a) principal: Souza, Amanda de Fátima
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Sousa, Ana Beatriz Trindade, Figueiredo, Bárbara Queiroz de, Santos, Giovanna Martins, Sousa, Matheus Magalhães, Resende, Ranna Samara Fernandes de, Lima, Paula Marynella Alves Pereira
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Research, Society and Development
• Texto Completo: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/30884
• topic: Automedicación; Estudiantes; Medicamentos.; Self-medication; Students; Medicines.; Automedicação; Estudantes; Medicamentos.

Introduction: Self-medication is defined by the WHO as the administration of drugs without the prescription and monitoring of a professional, which can generate harm such as intoxication, allergies, dependence and the masking of evolutionary diseases. The practice occurs due to the precariousness of the health system and access to the internet, becoming frequent in university students, especially medical students, who have greater self-confidence due to the study of pharmacology, easy access, direct contact with professionals and lack of time to seek medical help. Objective: to discuss the increase in self-medication in medical students based on a literature review. Methodology: descriptive research of the literature review type in the months of March and April 2022. Results and discussion: self-medication is currently facilitated due to advertisements and the internet, especially among medical students, and occurs due to the lack of supervision over non-prescription marketing. The drugs most used by this group are NSAIDs, antibiotics and anxiolytics, which are due to the strenuous routine. Therefore, self-medication is an act that needs to be avoided, as it has harmful consequences for the individual, such as cognitive impairment, dependence and adverse effects.