TY - JOUR
T1 - Self-medication with antimicrobial drugs in Europe
AU - Grigoryan, Larissa
AU - Haaijer-Ruskamp, Flora M.
AU - Burgerhof, Johannes G.M.
AU - Mechtler, Reli
AU - Deschepper, Reginald
AU - Tambic-Andrasevic, Arjana
AU - Andrajati, Retnosari
AU - Monnet, Dominique L.
AU - Cunney, Robert
AU - Di Matteo, Antonella
AU - Edelstein, Hana
AU - Valinteliene, Rolanda
AU - Alkerwi, Alaa
AU - Scicluna, Elizabeth A.
AU - Grzesiowski, Pawel
AU - Bara, Ana Claudia
AU - Tesar, Thomas
AU - Cizman, Milan
AU - Campos, Jose
AU - Lundborg, Cecilia Stålsby
AU - Birkin, Joan
PY - 2006/3
Y1 - 2006/3
N2 - We surveyed the populations of 19 European countries to compare the prevalence of antimicrobial drug self-medication in the previous 12 months and intended self-medication and storage and to identify the associated demographic characteristics. By using a multistage sampling design, 1,000-3,000 adults in each country were randomly selected. The prevalence of actual self-medication varied from 1 to 210 per 1,000 and intended self-medication from 73 to 449 per 1,000; both rates were high in eastern and southern Europe and low in northern and western Europe. The most common reasons for self-medication were throat symptoms (e.g., dry, inflamed, red, or sore throat, inflamed tonsils, tonsil pain). The main medication sources were pharmacies and medication leftover from previous prescriptions. Younger age, higher education, and presence of a chronic disease were associated with higher rates of self-medication. Attempts to reduce inappropriate self-medication should target prescribers, pharmacists, and the general public.
AB - We surveyed the populations of 19 European countries to compare the prevalence of antimicrobial drug self-medication in the previous 12 months and intended self-medication and storage and to identify the associated demographic characteristics. By using a multistage sampling design, 1,000-3,000 adults in each country were randomly selected. The prevalence of actual self-medication varied from 1 to 210 per 1,000 and intended self-medication from 73 to 449 per 1,000; both rates were high in eastern and southern Europe and low in northern and western Europe. The most common reasons for self-medication were throat symptoms (e.g., dry, inflamed, red, or sore throat, inflamed tonsils, tonsil pain). The main medication sources were pharmacies and medication leftover from previous prescriptions. Younger age, higher education, and presence of a chronic disease were associated with higher rates of self-medication. Attempts to reduce inappropriate self-medication should target prescribers, pharmacists, and the general public.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33644547030&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3201/eid1203.050992
DO - 10.3201/eid1203.050992
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:33644547030
SN - 1080-6040
VL - 12
SP - 452
EP - 459
JO - Emerging Infectious Diseases
JF - Emerging Infectious Diseases
IS - 3
ER -