Prevalence of Self-Medication Among Female University Students During Examinations: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

Lama Hamad M Alomaim; Ameera Faleh Alnefaie; Norah Abdullah Alowaymir; Nouf Abdulrahman Saleh Alahedb; Hailah Omar A Alomair; Rana Saud M Alanazi; Lamya Zaid Dakheel Alanazi; Haya Abdullah Naif Alshalawi; Tarfa Albrahim

doi:10.7759/cureus.37269

Prevalence of Self-Medication Among Female University Students During Examinations: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

Cureus. 2023 Apr 7;15(4):e37269. doi: 10.7759/cureus.37269. eCollection 2023 Apr.

Authors

Lama Hamad M Alomaim¹, Ameera Faleh Alnefaie¹, Norah Abdullah Alowaymir¹, Nouf Abdulrahman Saleh Alahedb¹, Hailah Omar A Alomair¹, Rana Saud M Alanazi¹, Lamya Zaid Dakheel Alanazi¹, Haya Abdullah Naif Alshalawi¹, Tarfa Albrahim¹

Affiliation

¹ College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, Clinical Nutrition, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, SAU.

Abstract

Introduction Those who practice self-care using over-the-counter (OTC) products believe that these medications are relatively safe. They can be used to treat mild illnesses that do not require medical consultation. However, improper self-medication using OTC medicines because of inadequate knowledge of their side effects and interactions can result in drug-related issues and even death. The current study was performed using the foundation year students of Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University (PNU) as subjects, to examine the use of OTC medicines during examination times. Methods This cross-sectional study was done on 213 (response rates 87.7%) foundation-year female students in the Health Colleges at PNU in Riyadh. Using a 26-item, self-administered, online questionnaire, data were collected. Results It was found that more than 50% of the students used OTC medicines habitually during exam periods. A majority (90.6%; p< 0.0001) of the students mentioned that the overuse of Panadol Extra was very safe while 67.6% (p< 0.0001) of them declared that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) would not induce stomach ulcer formation. A higher percentage (67.6%; p<0.0001) of the students confirmed using OTC medicines during exam time for headache relief. A higher percentage (72.8%; p< 0.0001) of the students indicated that because the OTC medications were readily available and they believed these drugs were safe, they used sizable quantities during the time of the examinations. Furthermore, 69% (p< 0.0001) of the students confessed that because of a friend's recommendations, they started trying OTC medicine. Above 67% (p< 0.0001) stated that OTC medications are inexpensive and easily available in Saudi Arabia. Conclusion To conclude, the findings of this study reiterated the high usage of OTC medicines by female students during the time of examination, and the highest used were painkillers.

Keywords: female college students; over-the-counter drugs; saudi arabia; self-care management; self-medication.