Self-medication with analgesics among medical students and interns in King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and predictors of self-medication with analgesics among senior medical students and interns in King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 504 participants in 2013. A multistage stratified random sampling was used. A confidential, anonymous & self-administered questionnaire was used to collect personal & socio-demographic data. Data about self-medication and self-medication with analgesics during the preceding 6 months were also inquired. Both descriptive and analytical statistics were done by SPSS version 18 & Epi-Info. RESULTS: During the 6 months preceding the study, 75.2% and 55.4% of participants used self -medication & analgesic self-medication, respectively. The first predictor of utilization of analgesic self-medication was living with family (aOR; 1.96, 95% CI: 1.22-3.14), followed by age >21 years & non- professional jobs of fathers. CONCLUSION: Alarming high rates of self medication and self-medication with analgesics were observed among medical students and interns. Self-medication needs improvement through educational, regulatory and managerial strategies.