Epidemiological profile of self-medication by university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Self-medication is characterized by drug consumption without a medical prescription to alleviate undesirable symptoms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this practice may have been stimulated by the implementation of remote teaching with an extensive workload, the development of mental health disorders, and the dissemination of false information on social media. Objective: To outline the epidemiological profile of self-medication and drugs consumed by university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional epidemiological study, in which data were collected through an online questionnaire sent by email to the coordinators of university courses in different regions of Brazil in January 2022. The prevalence of self-medication was calculated, and binomial logistic regression analysis and chi-square tests were applied to determine the influence of some variables on the practice of self-medication. Results: A prevalence of 48.43% of self-medication was detected among the 384 participants, the majority of whom were female and studied non-health-related areas. Associations (p<0.005) were observed between self-medication and the female sex, the Applied Social Sciences course, and having comorbidities. Furthermore, prevalences of 43.22%, 24.22%, and 16.15%, respectively, of consumption of analgesics, antihistamines and antidepressants were detected. Conclusion: In the pandemic context, a set of interconnected factors, such as gender, course, comorbidities, mental suffering, and low-severity symptoms can influence the practice of self-medication by university students.