BACKGROUND: Coping strategies used in response to stress have the potential to influence the development of mental health disorders, including alcohol use disorders. The current study investigated whether coping strategies placed an individual at greater likelihood for developing a future alcohol use disorder.
METHODS: This study used data from the Canadian Armed Forces Members and Veterans Mental Health Follow-up Survey; a nationally representative 16-year follow-up survey, with initial data collected in the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey - Canadian Forces Supplement. The total sample from the two datasets included 2941 individuals who were Regular Force members in 2002. Coping styles included problem-focused, avoidant, and self-medication. Adjusted logistic regression analyses examined relationships between coping style (in 2002) and alcohol use disorders (developed between 2002 and 2018).
RESULTS: Self-medication coping in 2002 was associated with any alcohol disorder since last interview (i.e., 2002-2018) (AOR 1.26; 95 % CI, 1.02-1.57) and during the past year (adjusted odds ratios [AOR 1.26; 95 % CI, 1.08-1.47]), as well as past-year binge drinking (AOR 1.19; 95 % CI, 1.09-1.29). Problem-focused coping was protective against past-year alcohol abuse (AOR 0.84; 95 % CI, 0.71-1.00) and any alcohol use disorder (AOR 0.87; 95 % CI 0.76-1.00).
CONCLUSIONS: Coping styles were strongly associated with future alcohol use disorders. Notably, results show the risk extended over a 16-year period. Findings suggest the use of self-medicating coping strategies places an individual at increased risk of developing alcohol use disorders, while problem-focused coping may decrease future risk of alcohol use disorders.

BACKGROUND: Self-medication was remarkably popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. In older populations, the risk of self-medication is higher. Pharmacists are well positioned to provide public health education and disease prevention. This study aims to explore the self-medication patterns and intention to seek pharmacist guidance among older adults in Macao.
METHODS: A face-to-face cross-sectional survey was subsequently performed in March-April 2023 among older adults in Macao. The questionnaire was designed based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze predictors of self-medication behavior and multiple linear regression analysis to determine whether the TPB construct was the predictor of older adults\' intention to seek guidance from pharmacists.
RESULTS: A total of 412 participants completed the questionnaire. The self-medication rate among older adults in Macao was 64.2%. The most commonly used types of medications were over-the-counter and traditional Chinese medicine, mainly from government anti-pandemic packages. The majority of individuals engaged in self-medication to treat COVID-19 symptoms or prevent COVID-19 infection. The prevalent reasons for self-medication were the perceived non-seriousness of the illness. 85 years old or older and university degree were significantly associated with self-medication behavior. Older adults had moderate intention to seek pharmacist guidance on medication use. The average scores (standard deviation) were 3.43 (1.10) for Attitude, 2.69 (0.99) for Subjective Norm, 3.56 (1.04) for Perceived Behavioral Control, and 3.07 (1.43) for Intention. Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Perceived Behavioral Control were all strong predictors of intention, which explained 53% of the variance in intention. In demographic factors, age was identified as a significant predictor of intentions.
CONCLUSIONS: Self-medication was widely practiced in Macao during the COVID-19 pandemic. To better control the risks associated with self-medication, the role of pharmacists is paramount. Enhancing the recognition and trust of pharmacists within society, modifying pharmacy management models, and strengthening pharmacists\' self-perception of their profession are all pivotal directions areas to further enhance their role.

OBJECTIVE: The transgender population in Brazil faces marginalization and difficulties in accessing education and health, leading many individuals to self-medicate. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the implementation of Specialized Centers in the Transsexualizing Process (SCTP) on the use of cross-sex hormone therapy (CSHT) without medical prescription, as well as the level of education and mental health profile of these individuals.
METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with data from physical and electronic medical records between September 2017 and February 2023 regarding the use of CSHT before and after the implementation of two SCTP in the state of Bahia, Brazil, in addition to data on education level, previous diagnosis of anxiety and depression of patients.
RESULTS: A total of 219 participants, 127 transgender men (TM) and 92 transgender women and travestis (TrTW), were assessed. A significant reduction in the prevalence of self-medication was observed in both TrTW (92.98% before and 51.43% after, p<0.001), and TM (47.17% before and 25.67% after, p = 0.010) with the implementation of SCTP. Transgender individuals who used CSHT before accessing the service were found to have a lower prevalence of depression. Self-medication was not significantly associated with education or anxiety in our sample.
CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate the need for the expansion of SCTP, as they were associated with lower rates of self-medication in the transgender population.

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the validity evidence of the internal structure of the Risk Self-Medication Questionnaire Focused on Health Literacy.
METHODS: a psychometric study with 499 adults. The internal structure was assessed with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to prove the adjustment. Internal consistency was measured by composite reliability and McDonald\'s omega coefficient (ω).
RESULTS: the parameters revealed a model of 35 items distributed across four factors, explaining 56% of the total variance, with factor loadings ranging from 0.31 to 0.85 and adequate communalities. Accuracy (0.79CONCLUSIONS: an instrument was obtained with good evidence of structural validity for measuring self-medication.

Background and Objectives: The investigation of the psychosomatic symptoms in women residing in developing countries is still emerging. To be precise, the prevalence and correlates of severe fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, and insomnia are understudied in Arab women, as these symptoms could relate to improper self-medication. This study mainly investigated the association between self-medication with analgesics and fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms among a community-based cohort of females in Jordan. Materials and Methods: We used a web-based cross-sectional study design. Fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, and insomnia were assessed using validated scales. The used over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers were recorded. Results: Data were analyzed from 741 women, and fibromyalgia was screened in 16.4%, depression in 37.4%, anxiety in 27.8%, and insomnia in 38.3%. Fibromyalgia was associated with \"married\" (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.017-2.305), \"using OTC acetaminophen\" (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.15-2.69), \"using herbal remedies\" (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.33-3.07), and \"using antiseizure medications\" (OR = 2.43, 95% CI = 1.38-4.28). Severe depression was significantly associated with \"age\" (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.96-0.99), \"high school education\" (OR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.21-2.98), \"smoking\" (OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.15-2.56), \"OTC acetaminophen\" (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.02-1.92), \"OTC non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs\" (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.15-2.65), and \"antiseizures\" (OR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.30-3.70). Severe anxiety was significantly associated with \"smoking\" (OR = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.40-3.12), \"OTC acetaminophen\" (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.06-2.06), and \"antiseizure medications\" (OR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.22-3.41). Severe insomnia was significantly associated with \"age\" (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.96-0.99), \"high school education\" (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.01-2.47), \"smoking\" (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.01-2.25), \"OTC non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs\" (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.13-2.64), \"antiseizure medications\" (OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.09-3.11), and \"No analgesics\" (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.32-0.71). Conclusions: Self-medication with analgesics is associated with a high burden of psychosomatic symptoms in Arab women, and awareness campaigns are required to guide self-medication behavior.

In Japan, the landscape of clinical practice for substance use disorder is changing significantly, primarily due to an increase in patients using over-the-counter drugs. A major concern is the rising number of patients misusing dextromethorphan (DXM). These patients with DXM use disorders often have severe trauma-related and mood symptoms, and therefore try to cope with those symptoms by self-medicating with DXM. In this article, we propose that ketamine, which has similar psychopharmacological effects to DXM, may be a useful alternative pharmacological treatment for these patients.

Dysmenorrhea, the most common gynecological pain syndrome reported in women, is understudied in refugee communities. In addition, the association between dysmenorrhea self-medication and mental health symptoms in this population is poorly understood. We aimed to examine whether the use of dysmenorrhea analgesic self-medications and other clinical factors are associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and insomnia severity in female war refugees residing in Zaatari Camp. This study followed a cross-sectional design and was performed on a cohort of women with predefined inclusion criteria. The severity of PTSD, depression, anxiety and insomnia were assessed using Davidson Trauma Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the General Anxiety Disorder-7, and the Arabic version of the Insomnia Severity Index, respectively. Data were analysed from 386 participants. Using OTC paracetamol was significantly associated with higher PTSD severity (B=4.16, t= 2.43, p=0.01), and severe depression (OR=1.88, 95% CI= 1.07-3.28, p=0.03), while OTC non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was significantly associated with severe insomnia (OR=1.62, 95% CI= 1.05-2.49, p= 0.02). In conclusion, self-medication with analgesics was correlated with poor mental health; close medical and psychiatric follow-up are required to supervise pain self-medication and implement non-pharmacological strategies to manage dysmenorrhea in this fragile community.
La dysménorrhée, le syndrome douloureux gynécologique le plus fréquemment signalé chez les femmes, est peu étudiée dans les communautés de réfugiés. De plus, l’association entre l’automédication de la dysménorrhée et les symptômes de santé mentale dans cette population est mal comprise. Nous avions pour objectif d\'examiner si l\'utilisation d\'automédicaments analgésiques contre la dysménorrhée et d\'autres facteurs cliniques sont associés au trouble de stress post-traumatique (SSPT), à la dépression, à l\'anxiété et à la gravité de l\'insomnie chez les réfugiées de guerre résidant dans le camp de Zaatari. Cette étude a suivi une conception transversale et a été réalisée sur une cohorte de femmes avec des critères d\'inclusion prédéfinis. La gravité du SSPT, de la dépression, de l\'anxiété et de l\'insomnie a été évaluée à l\'aide de l\'échelle de traumatisme de Davidson, du questionnaire sur la santé du patient-9, du trouble d\'anxiété général-7 et de la version arabe de l\'indice de gravité de l\'insomnie, respectivement. Les données ont été analysées auprès de 386 participants. L\'utilisation de paracétamol en vente libre était significativement associée à une gravité plus élevée du SSPT (B = 4,16, t = 2,43, p = 0,01) et à une dépression sévère (OR = 1,88, IC à 95 % = 1,07-3,28, p = 0,03), tandis que les médicaments non stéroïdiens en vente libre les anti-inflammatoires (AINS) étaient associés de manière significative à l\'insomnie sévère (OR = 1,62, IC à 95 % = 1,05-2,49, p = 0,02). En conclusion, l’automédication avec des analgésiques était corrélée à une mauvaise santé mentale ; un suivi médical et psychiatrique étroit est nécessaire pour encadrer l\'automédication de la douleur et mettre en œuvre des stratégies non pharmacologiques pour prendre en charge la dysménorrhée dans cette communauté fragile.

UNASSIGNED: Although health-seeking behaviors are crucial to China\'s healthcare delivery system, the influence of mobile Internet use in this context remains under-explored. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the influence of mobile Internet use on health-seeking behaviors, and meticulously examined the heterogeneity in health outcomes associated with the intersection between mobile Internet use and health-seeking behaviors.
UNASSIGNED: We used nationally representative data derived from the China Family Panel Studies. Given that individuals typically make the decision to use mobile Internet autonomously, an instrumental variable regression methodology was adopted to mitigate potential selection biases.
UNASSIGNED: Our findings revealed that mobile Internet use significantly promoted self-medication and adversely affected the use of primary care facilities among Chinese adults. Furthermore, our findings highlighted the heterogeneous effects of mobile Internet use across diverse health demographic groups.
UNASSIGNED: These findings underscore the importance of strategic planning and utilizing mobile Internet resources to steer individuals toward more appropriate healthcare-seeking behaviors.

BACKGROUND: Traditional medicines are commonly used worldwide, especially in Africa-however, there is limited information on the prevalence and types of traditional eye medicine utilization in Ethiopia. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence, the type and nature of traditional eye medicine use and practices related to self-medication for ophthalmic diseases in a rural Ethiopian population.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in six randomly selected primary health centers in rural Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Health-seeking behavior, use of self-medication, and traditional eye medicine were assessed in the population using a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analysis were computed to determine associated factors for using self-medication and traditional eye medicine.
RESULTS: Of the 814 participants interviewed, 487 (59.8%) reported using traditional eye medicine, mainly for combinations of symptoms of ocular redness, irritation, and eye discharge (95.5%). Besides, 604 (74.2%) participants reported self-treatment with tetracycline 1% eye ointment. Older age, females, low income, no formal education, and lack of access to media were risks for utilizing traditional eye medicine.
CONCLUSIONS: The use of traditional eye medicine and self-treatment are common in this population. Regulatory legislation, public awareness, and making eye care are vital activities required to monitor such practices.

UNASSIGNED: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics among attendants of the Out-patient Department (OPD) at Madina Polyclinic before seeking medical consultation and associated factors.
UNASSIGNED: Cross-sectional study.
UNASSIGNED: The study was conducted at Madina Polyclinic.
UNASSIGNED: The study involved 319 general OPD attendants aged 18 years and above accessing healthcare services at the Madina Polyclinic between May and June 2019.
UNASSIGNED: The prevalence of antibiotic self-medication and the factors associated with this practice.
UNASSIGNED: From the study, 46.4% (95% CI 40.8%- 52.0%) had self-medicated with antibiotics before presenting for medical consultation at the hospital. Less than half of the respondents (44.5%) had adequate knowledge about the use of antibiotics. Having a tertiary level of education was significantly associated with self-medication (aOR= 8.09, 95% CI 2.31-28.4, p = 0.001), whilst adequate knowledge on the use of antibiotics reduced the odds of self-medication by 53% (aOR= 0.47, 95% CI 0.23- 0.66, p<0.001). The level of education modified the relationship between knowledge and self-medication with antibiotics.
UNASSIGNED: The practice of antibiotic self-medication is rife among OPD attendants. Therefore, adequate public education on the use of antibiotics and the effects of using them inappropriately must be done. The Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) policy ought to be reinforced and made known to all, especially among the pharmacies that dispense antibiotics indiscriminately.
UNASSIGNED: None declared.