Self-medication in patients seeking care in a dental emergency service

ANDRADA, M.M.; SIRAGUSA, C.; RODRIGUEZ, D.; STOLBIZER, F.; FAES, L.; PRADA, S.; ROSCHER, D.F.; GUALTIERI, A.; ARIAS, C.; SAIEGH, J.; MENDEZ, C.F.

ACTA ODONTOLOGICA LATINOAMERICANA : AOL.

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación odontológica

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2018 vol. 31 p. 117 - 121

0326-4815

The aims ofthis work were: To determine what percentage of first­time patients to theDental Emergency Department at the School of Dentistry of Buenos AiresUniversity had taken medications to relieve or treat their condition. To determinewhat percentage of these had used self­medication, and which were the mostfrequently taken medicines. To determine whether there is an associationbetween self­medication and educational level, and between self­medication andwhether the patient has health coverage. This was an observational,cross­sectional study which reviewed 567 clinical histories of patients who visitedthe Dental Emergency Department from March 2015 to September 2016. Thefollowing parameters were assessed: sex, age, reason for consultation,medication, dose, interval, duration and indication. Patients? educationallevel and whether they had health coverage were ascertained. Confidence intervalsof 95% were calculated for percentages using the Wilson score method.Inferential analyses were performed using the Chi­square test (χ2).Significance level was set at 5%. Eighty five percent (85%,.n=481) of thepatients had taken at least one medication; 77% (n=372) had usedself­medication. The most frequently used medicines were non­steroid anti-inflammatorydrugs (61%), antibiotics (34%) and glucocorticoids (2%). No association wasfound between self­medication and patients? having health coverage (χ2=13;p=0.08). No significant association was found between educational level andself-medication (χ2=10; p=0.22). Nevertheless, the lowest percentages ofself­medication were found in subjects with complete university studies (77%;CI95: 60% to 89%), while the highest percentages were found in subjects withincomplete primary education (89%; CI95: 69% to 97%), complete primary education(92%; CI95: 82% to 96%) and incomplete secondary educations (90%; CI95: 84% to94%).High levels of self-medication were found in the study population.Although no association was found between educational level and self­medicationbehavior, the percentage of self­medication was higher among patients withlower educational levels. The high level of self­medication highlights theimportance of conducting campaigns to raise awareness about the adequate use ofmedicines.