Patterns and determinants of self-medication among university students in Saudi Arabia

Objective To investigate the characteristics and determinants of self-medication practice among university students in a readily accessible medication retail market. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured, self-administered questionnaire distributed to university students in Saudi Arabia. Demographics, practices, attitudes and knowledge-based variables were collected. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the potential determinants of self-medication, intention to self-medicate and self-medication with antibiotics (SMA). Key findings Of the 1046 participants, 686 (65.6%) practised self-medication in the preceding year, with an average practice frequency of 3.44 ± 8.05. Headache relievers (82.94%) and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (67.78%) were the commonest classes used. Antibiotics were consumed by 197 (28.8%) self-medicating students. Self-reported compliance rates were 51.64% and 21.57% to recommended dose and to treatment duration, respectively. Among potential determinants of self-medication, only smoking status (P = 0.031) and medication knowledge (P = 0.034) were found to be significant. Health orientation (P < 0.01) and chronic disease status (P = 0.043) represented additional determinants for holding the intention to self-medicate. Although higher medication knowledge was positively associated with self-medication, it appears to have a protective effect against the ‘intention-to-self-medicate’ outcome (P < 0.05). College major (but not medication knowledge) and smoking status, academic year rank and health insurance status were found to be significant determinants of SMA (P < 0.05). Conclusion Although prescription-only medications were consumed, self-medication among university students remained majorly within the arena of over-the-counter medications in this less-restrictive market. Smoking and medication knowledge appear to represent important determinants of self-medication practice in this population.