Abstract
Self-medication is one of the most common health maintenance practices in the world, and has been observed more frequently after the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this context, responsible self-medication is very important to ensure public health and to alleviate health systems. Medical students are referents in society in terms of medication knowledge and therefore are promoters of medication use behaviors. The aim of this study was to evaluate self-medication practices among medical students in the context of non-specific symptoms associated or not with SARS-COV-2 infection at a university in Barranquilla, Colombia. Cross-sectional study conducted in a population of 2285 medical students. A sample of 350 randomly selected students was taken, and a self-administered survey was applied to inquire about aspects related to self-medication practices. The prevalence of self-medication in the study sample was 100%, with 70.1% having inadequate self-medication practices. Additionally, 48% would be willing to self-medicate without requesting medical assistance if they present mild symptoms associated with COVID-19. This study reports the highest prevalence of self-medication registered in Colombia. The results suggest the need for interventions aimed at promoting responsible self-medication practices to minimize negative health impacts, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.References
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