[Common health disorders: self-care and self-medication].

Abstract

SETTING:

Community level. "Santa María de Benquerencia" Health District, Toledo.

PARTICIPANTS:

People over 15, chosen by random sampling from the municipal census, who stated that they had suffered some health disorder over the previous fortnight.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

212 surveys were accepted as valid (average age 42.75, 51.89% male and 48.11% female). 73% had suffered one of the disorders included in the survey during the previous fortnight. The commonest response was self-medication (39.84%), especially when dealing with pain and Pyrosis. Pyrazolones and Salicylates were the most commonly used drugs. The instructions were only read in 48.64% of cases. No measure was adopted in 34.56% of the disorders. The doctor was only consulted in 6.86% of cases. Both these responses were more common in men and young people. Non-pharmacological self-care was adopted in 30.07% of cases. This was generally of a dietetic or physical nature and was commoner in women and elderly people.

CONCLUSIONS:

Self-care, whether pharmacological or not, is the most common response to the perception of some symptom. These practices (especially self-medication because of its possible attendant problems) should be directed and used as one tool more in health care.

• Authors: N Tejedor, E Zafra, Y Sánchez del Viso, A López Muñoz, C Vidal, F López de Castro
• Journal: Atencion primaria (Aten Primaria) Vol. 16 Issue 1 Pg. 13-8 (Jun 15 1995) ISSN: 0212-6567 [Print] Spain
• Vernacular Title: Trastornos comunes de salud: autocuidado y automedicación.
• PMID: 7647190 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, English Abstract, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Attitude to Health
• Education
• Female
• Humans
• Interviews as Topic
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Self Care
• Self Medication
• Sex Factors
• Spain