Self-medication in patients over 18 years of age in health centers in Honduras

Context: Inappropriate self-medication is seen as a global public health concern. Without appropriate professional healthcare guidance, a variety of issues can arise with potentially serious consequences to one’s personal health. Aims: To describe self-medication in outpatients aged 18 years or over who attended public health care centers in Honduras. Methods: A sample of 4573 people was chosen using a cluster sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was applied. Study variables included: sociodemographic factors, frequency and reasons for self-medicating, kind of medicine and sources of acquisition. Results: With a minimum age of 18 years and a maximum age of 94 years, women predominated with 3340 (73.0%), originated from the department of Francisco Morazán with 1186 (25.9%) persons, primary complete in 1042 (22.8%) persons, and with a monthly household income of less than $171.41 in 1462 (32.0%) persons, 3035 (66.4%) people reported knowing what self-medication is, but 2365 (51.7%) of them were unaware of the consequences of self-medication and 2385 (52.2%) people used medications in the last three months without a prescription. Conclusions: The frequency of self-medication in the studied population shows the need to implement national prevention and promotion initiatives in the rational use of medicines, emphasizing the consequences of self-medication, as well as the creation of stricter surveillance and regulation policies in the sale of medicines.