International Journal of

ADVANCED AND APPLIED SCIENCES

EISSN: 2313-3724, Print ISSN: 2313-626X

Frequency: 12

line decor
  
line decor

 Volume 7, Issue 3 (March 2020), Pages: 130-134

----------------------------------------------

 Original Research Paper

 Title: Awareness and use of over the counter analgesic medication: A survey in the Aseer region population, Saudi Arabia

 Author(s): Sultan M. Alshahrani 1, *, Khaled M. Alakhali 2, Yaser Mohammed Al-Worafi 3, Najim Z. Alshahrani 4

 Affiliation(s):

 1Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
 2Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, USCI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
 3Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, University of Science and Technology of Fujairah, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
 4Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

  Full Text - PDF          XML

 * Corresponding Author. 

  Corresponding author's ORCID profile: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6194-7092

 Digital Object Identifier: 

 https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2020.03.015

 Abstract:

The aim of this study was to explore the self-medication with OTC analgesics practice and awareness among the public in Aseer, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted between June and October 2017 among the public in the Aseer region, Saudi Arabia. 468 out 600 of the distributed questionnaires were completed. The majority of respondents were female (53.8%, n=254). About 48.7% of the respondents were younger than 25 years old. 72.6% of participants graduated or learned at university. The majority of participants are singles (78%, n=345). were of participants in this study are Saudis (96.9%). The prevalence of self-medication with OTC analgesics was 53.5 %. Paracetamol was the most common analgesic used by the participants in this study (68.2%) followed by Ibuprofen (23%). headache was reported as the most common symptom associated with self-medication used (50.9%) followed by toothache (28.1%), fatigue (10.6 %) and the least reported symptom was back pain (10.3%). majority of participants had poor knowledge of OTC analgesics. The current study shows that the self-medication with OTC analgesics was common in Aseer, Saudi Arabia. A lack of awareness towards analgesics was found in this study. Education programs towards analgesics use, doses, side effects, and other issues are highly recommended. 

 © 2020 The Authors. Published by IASE.

 This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

 Keywords: OTC, Analgesics, Self-medications, Saudi Arabia, Public awareness

 Article History: Received 20 October 2019, Received in revised form 10 January 2020, Accepted 10 January 2020

 Acknowledgment:

The authors would like to express the utmost gratitude to King Khalid University for technical and administrative support. In addition, we would like to thank the primary health care centers, where the study was performed, for their help and assistance.

 Compliance with ethical standards

 Ethical considerations: This study was approved by King Khalid University, College of Pharmacy (08/06/2015), Saudi Arabia. Written consent was obtained from the participants. Furthermore, no personal data was obtained from the participants. 

 Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

 Citation:

 Alshahrani SM, Alakhali KM, and Al-Worafi YM et al. (2020). Awareness and use of over the counter analgesic medication: A survey in the Aseer region population, Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 7(3): 130-134

 Permanent Link to this page

 Figures

 No Figure

 Tables

 Table 1 Table 2 Table 3 Table 4 Table 5

----------------------------------------------

 References (21) 

  1. Al-Ani MR, Hassan N, Edis Z, Bloukh SH, and Shahwan M (2016). Common adverse effects due to self-medication. International Journal of Research, 3(4): 380-385.   [Google Scholar]
  2. Al-Gallaf SM (2015). Evaluating knowledge of over the counter analgesics among Bahraini people. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research, 8(3): 266-270.   [Google Scholar]
  3. Al-Mohamadi A, Badr A, Mahfouz LB, Samargandi D, and Al Ahdal A (2013). Dispensing medications without prescription at Saudi community pharmacy: Extent and perception. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 21(1): 13-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2011.11.003   [Google Scholar] PMid:23960815 PMCid:PMC3745069
  4. Alshahrani SM, Alakhali KM, and Al-Worafi YM (2019a). Medication errors in a health care facility in southern Saudi Arabia. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 18(5): 1119-1122.   [Google Scholar]
  5. Alshahrani SM, Alavudeen SS, Alakhali KM, Al-Worafi YM, Bahamdan AK, and Vigneshwaran E (2019b). Self-medication among King Khalid University students, Saudi Arabia. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 12: 243-249. https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S230257   [Google Scholar] PMid:31814786 PMCid:PMC6861838
  6. Alshammari TM, Alhindi SA, Alrashdi AM, Benmerzouga I, and Aljofan M (2017). Pharmacy malpractice: The rate and prevalence of dispensing high-risk prescription-only medications at community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 25(5): 709-714. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2016.10.001   [Google Scholar] PMid:28725143 PMCid:PMC5506661
  7. Babakor SD and Al Ghamdi MM (2018). Prevalence and determinants of over-the-counter analgesics usage among patients attending primary health care centers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Journal of Young Pharmacists, 10(1): 91-97. https://doi.org/10.5530/jyp.2018.10.21   [Google Scholar]
  8. Dale O, Borchgrevink PC, Fredheim OMS, Mahic M, Romundstad P, and Skurtveit S (2015). Prevalence of use of non-prescription analgesics in the Norwegian HUNT3 population: Impact of gender, age, exercise and prescription of opioids. BMC Public Health, 15: 461. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1774-6   [Google Scholar] PMid:25934132 PMCid:PMC4428499
  9. FDA (2008). Safety concerns associated with over-the-counter drug products containing analgesic/antipyretic active ingredients for internal use. Food and Drug Administration, USA. Available online at: https://bit.ly/2uM3WOd
  10. Figueiras A, Caamano F, and Gestal-Otero JJ (2000). Sociodemographic factors related to self-medication in Spain. European Journal of Epidemiology, 16(1): 19-26. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007608702063   [Google Scholar] PMid:10780338
  11. French DP and James DH (2008). Reasons for the use of mild analgesics among English students. Pharmacy World and Science, 30(1): 79-85. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-007-9146-7   [Google Scholar] PMid:17657580
  12. Gyamlani GG and Parikh CR (2002). Acetaminophen toxicity: Suicidal vs accidental. Critical Care, 6: 155. https://doi.org/10.1186/cc1475   [Google Scholar] PMid:11983042 PMCid:PMC111182
  13. Hasan S, Al-Omar MJ, AlZubaidy H, and Al-Worafi YM (2019). Use of medications in Arab countries. In: Laher I (Ed.), Handbook of healthcare in the Arab world: 1-42. Springer, Cham, Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74365-3_91-1   [Google Scholar]
  14. Hughes CM, McElnay JC, and Fleming GF (2001). Benefits and risks of self-medication. Drug Safety, 24(14): 1027-1037. https://doi.org/10.2165/00002018-200124140-00002   [Google Scholar] PMid:11735659
  15. ISMP (2007). Failure to clearly link Tylenol products to acetaminophen poses serious threat to safety. Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Horsham, UK. Available online at: https://bit.ly/2u1DBLW
  16. McGettigan P and Henry D (2013). Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that elevate cardiovascular risk: An examination of sales and essential medicines lists in low-, middle-, and high-income countries. PLoS Medicine, 10(2): e1001388. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001388   [Google Scholar] PMid:23424288 PMCid:PMC3570554
  17. Ocan M, Obuku EA, Bwanga F, Akena D, Richard S, Ogwal-Okeng J, and Obua C (2015). Household antimicrobial self-medication: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the burden, risk factors and outcomes in developing countries. BMC Public Health, 15: 742. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-2109-3   [Google Scholar] PMid:26231758 PMCid:PMC4522083
  18. Saeed MS, Alkhoshaiban AS, Al-Worafi A, Mohammed Y, and Long CM (2014). Perception of self-medication among university students in Saudi Arabia. Archives of Pharmacy Practice, 5(4): 149-152. https://doi.org/10.4103/2045-080X.142049   [Google Scholar]
  19. Sarganas G, Buttery AK, Zhuang W, Wolf IK, Grams D, Rosario AS, and Knopf H (2015). Prevalence, trends, patterns and associations of analgesic use in Germany. BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology, 16: 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40360-015-0028-7   [Google Scholar] PMid:26428626 PMCid:PMC4591581
  20. Shaghaghi A, Asadi M, and Allahverdipour H (2014). Predictors of self-medication behavior: A systematic review. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 43(2): 136-146.   [Google Scholar]
  21. WHO (2000). Guidelines for the regulatory assessment of medicinal products for use in self-medication (No. WHO/EDM/QSM/00.1). World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.   [Google Scholar]