Predictive Factors of Self-medicated Drug Use Among the Spanish Adult Population

Purpose: Our study aimed at describing the prevalence of self-medicated drug use among the Spanish adult population and to identify the predictive factors of such self-medication in Spain.

Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study covering the Spanish adult population, using data drawn from the 2003 Spanish National Health Survey (ENSS). A total of 19 514 subjects were analysed. The independent variables were socio-demographic and health-related, and the dependent variable was self-medicated drug use. Using logistic multivariate regression models we have estimated the independent effect of each of these variables on the self-medicated consumption.

Results: The 18.1% of all Spaniards indulge in self-medication. Our study shows that 45% of all cold and influenza medication and 39.4% of analgesics consumed by the population involve self-medication. It should be stressed here that 17.7% of persons who took antibiotics did so in the form of self-medication. The variables that were independently and significantly associated with a greater probability of self-medicated consumption were: sex; lower age; higher educational level; consumption of alcohol; smoking habit; use of alternative medical products; absence of chronic disease and a positive perception of health.

Conclusions: In Spain, the prevalence of self-medicated drug use is higher in women than men. In our population, the influence of unhealthy lifestyles, such as alcohol and tobacco consumption, is related to a higher likelihood of self-medication.