Perceptions of family physicians regarding patients' self-medication
Introduction. Self-medication is the practice of using medications to treat self-diagnosed conditions without prior consultation with a healthcare specialist. This phenomenon is widespread globally, reaching a rate of over 90% in some countries. The objective of the study was to explore and analyze...
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| Language: | English |
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Asociatia de Biosiguranta si Biosecuritate
2025-01-01
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| Series: | One Health & Risk Management |
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| Online Access: | https://journal.ohrm.bba.md/index.php/journal-ohrm-bba-md/article/view/785 |
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| author | Victoria BABCINETCHI Alina TIMOTIN Oleg LOZAN |
| author_facet | Victoria BABCINETCHI Alina TIMOTIN Oleg LOZAN |
| author_sort | Victoria BABCINETCHI |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction. Self-medication is the practice of using medications to treat self-diagnosed conditions without prior consultation with a healthcare specialist. This phenomenon is widespread globally, reaching a rate of over 90% in some countries. The objective of the study was to explore and analyze the perceptions of family physicians in the Republic of Moldova regarding self-medication.
Material and methods. The study was conducted using descriptive, quantitative, and cross-sectional methods. Data were collected from November 2023 to March 2024 on a sample of 346 family physicians from the Republic of Moldova.
Results. It was found that 87.6% of physicians frequently or very frequently encounter patients who resort to self-medication, and 68.79% of physicians have a negative attitude toward this phenomenon. No statistically significant differences were observed between the region, work environment, or work experience of the physicians and the frequency of patients practicing self-medication (p>0.05). A trend was noted of an intensified negative attitude toward self-medication with increasing work experience (p<0.05). At the same time, 55.2% of physicians identified the lack of awareness of the risks associated with self-medication as the main factor driving patients to engage in this practice.
Conclusions. Self-medication is frequently observed in the Republic of Moldova, with a primary factor being the lack of awareness, making public education on this issue imperative. The negative attitude toward self-medication increases with the physician’s work experience and is influenced by their own practices. Medical professionals play a decisive role in preventing the risks of self-medication through informing, providing therapeutic advice, and educating patients. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-841102888e184ffaa9e2993d2795d73e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2587-3458 2587-3466 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Asociatia de Biosiguranta si Biosecuritate |
| record_format | Article |
| series | One Health & Risk Management |
| spelling | doaj-art-841102888e184ffaa9e2993d2795d73e2025-08-20T02:09:54ZengAsociatia de Biosiguranta si BiosecuritateOne Health & Risk Management2587-34582587-34662025-01-0161394610.38045/ohrm.2025.1.04Perceptions of family physicians regarding patients' self-medicationVictoria BABCINETCHI0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2120-2408Alina TIMOTIN1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6547-9823Oleg LOZAN2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1552-1496”Nicolae Testemitanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova”Nicolae Testemitanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova”Nicolae Testemitanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Chisinau, the Republic of MoldovaIntroduction. Self-medication is the practice of using medications to treat self-diagnosed conditions without prior consultation with a healthcare specialist. This phenomenon is widespread globally, reaching a rate of over 90% in some countries. The objective of the study was to explore and analyze the perceptions of family physicians in the Republic of Moldova regarding self-medication. Material and methods. The study was conducted using descriptive, quantitative, and cross-sectional methods. Data were collected from November 2023 to March 2024 on a sample of 346 family physicians from the Republic of Moldova. Results. It was found that 87.6% of physicians frequently or very frequently encounter patients who resort to self-medication, and 68.79% of physicians have a negative attitude toward this phenomenon. No statistically significant differences were observed between the region, work environment, or work experience of the physicians and the frequency of patients practicing self-medication (p>0.05). A trend was noted of an intensified negative attitude toward self-medication with increasing work experience (p<0.05). At the same time, 55.2% of physicians identified the lack of awareness of the risks associated with self-medication as the main factor driving patients to engage in this practice. Conclusions. Self-medication is frequently observed in the Republic of Moldova, with a primary factor being the lack of awareness, making public education on this issue imperative. The negative attitude toward self-medication increases with the physician’s work experience and is influenced by their own practices. Medical professionals play a decisive role in preventing the risks of self-medication through informing, providing therapeutic advice, and educating patients.https://journal.ohrm.bba.md/index.php/journal-ohrm-bba-md/article/view/785self-medicationfamily physiciansself-treatmentself-carepatient educationdrug interactionspolypharmacy |
| spellingShingle | Victoria BABCINETCHI Alina TIMOTIN Oleg LOZAN Perceptions of family physicians regarding patients' self-medication One Health & Risk Management self-medication family physicians self-treatment self-care patient education drug interactions polypharmacy |
| title | Perceptions of family physicians regarding patients' self-medication |
| title_full | Perceptions of family physicians regarding patients' self-medication |
| title_fullStr | Perceptions of family physicians regarding patients' self-medication |
| title_full_unstemmed | Perceptions of family physicians regarding patients' self-medication |
| title_short | Perceptions of family physicians regarding patients' self-medication |
| title_sort | perceptions of family physicians regarding patients self medication |
| topic | self-medication family physicians self-treatment self-care patient education drug interactions polypharmacy |
| url | https://journal.ohrm.bba.md/index.php/journal-ohrm-bba-md/article/view/785 |
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