Cargando…

Who self-medicates? Results from structural equation modeling in the Greater Paris area, France

OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to describe the prevalence of self-medication among the Paris adult population and to identify the factors associated with self-medication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on data collected from the SIRS cohort (a French acronym for “Health, in...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Vanhaesebrouck, A., Vuillermoz, C., Robert, S., Parizot, I., Chauvin, P.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2018
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6296538/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30557334
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208632
Descripción
Sumario:OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to describe the prevalence of self-medication among the Paris adult population and to identify the factors associated with self-medication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on data collected from the SIRS cohort (a French acronym for “Health, inequalities and social ruptures”) in 2005 in the Paris metropolitan area using a face-to-face administration questionnaire among a representative sample of 3,023 French-speaking adults. Structural equation models were used to investigate the factors associated with self-medication in the overall population and according to income. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-medication in the past four weeks was 53.5% in the Paris metropolitan area. Seven factors were directly associated with self-medication in the structural equation model. Self-medication was found more common among women, young people, in active employment or student, with a high income, but also among people with a health information seeking behavior, with a high daily mobility, and/or with a history of unmet healthcare needs due to economic reasons. When looking at these coefficients according to income, the association between self-medication and daily mobility appeared stronger in the bottom quartile of income whereas it was no longer significant in the rest of the survey population. CONCLUSION: Self-medication is a frequent practice in the Paris metropolitan area. This study confirms the role of some factors found to be associated with self-medication in the literature such as age or gender and draws attention to other factors rarely explored such as daily mobility, especially among people with a low income, or health information seeking behavior.