This survey of 1294 students found that over 90% practice self-medication. The most common reasons for self-medicating included having mild problems and not needing a doctor. Herbal tea, vitamins, minerals and non-prescription drugs were the most used treatments. Students reported self-treating common symptoms like headaches, coughs, fatigue without medical guidance. While students had some understanding of appropriate self-medication lengths, over 25% would self-treat all symptoms, which is a concern. The results provide insight despite limitations in response rates and access.

1. Self-medication in student
population
Presentation of 2008 survey results
Žiga Hladnik and Janko Kersnik Bled 20.9. 2008

2. Method
• Cross-sectional type of survey in a form of web based
questionnaire
• Self developed questions consisted of several parts:
∀ • demographical data
∀ • relationship toward health as a value and trust to different
sources of health information
∀ • health status
∀ • self-medication and other self-treatment practices
• Sampling procedure with emphasis on direct contact
trough internal mailing lists
• Data statistically analysed with SPSS 16.0

3. Results: Demography
• Total number of participants: 1294
• Mean age: 22.4 (SD=3.24)
• Gender:
Men Women
No. 303 991
% 23.4 76.6
• School:
Med. Pharm. Engin, Health Biotec Educ Arts Oth.
geode Care
No. 300 194 129 125 114 110 87 235
% 23.2 15.0 10.0 9.7 8.8 8.5 6.7 18.2
• Study year:
Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cand.
grad.
No. 278 312 243 152 47 35 195
% 21.5 24.1 18.8 11.7 3.6 2.7 15.1

4. Results: Attitude to self-medication
• Students were asked to choose one of four statements that most closely
describe their attitude towards self-medication practice.
N (1294=100%)
Self-medication is the method of choice 755 (58.3%)
for treating some symptoms
Self-medication is the method of choice for all 332 (25.7%)
symptoms. If my condition does not improve I
can still visit a doctor.
Self-medication is the right method but only if 173 (13.4%)
I get this advice from a doctor or a
pharmacist
Self-medication is not the right method 34 (2.6%)
because I can miss a serious disease if I do not
visit a doctor

5. Results: Frequency of self-medication
• The definition of self-medication was presented and students were
asked if they used self-medication in the last year.
N
(1294=100%)
Yes 1195 (92.3%)
No 85 (6.6%)
I do not know 14 (1.1%)

6. Results: Length of self-medication
• The question was to determine the length of self-medication believed
to be the appropriate one without an improvement of the symptoms.
Six time periods were presented and the students were asked to choose
one.
N (1294=100%)
≤1 day 50 (3.9%)
≤1 week 810 (62.6%)
≤2 weeks 216 (16.7%)
≤1 month 78 (6.0%)
≤½ year 24 (1.9%)
>½ year 25 (1.9%)
I do not know 91 (7.0%)

7. Results: Reasons for self-medication
• Seven potentially important reasons were presented and participants
were asked to rate them on a Likert scale from 1-7. (1 – not important;
7 – very important).
Mean
I have mild problems and I think it is not necessary to 5.76
visit a doctor
I was informed by a doctor or a pharmacist that my 4.31
symptoms are suitable for self-medication
I want to have a more active role considering my health 3.76
I was informed by relatives, friends, media, … that my 3.19
symptoms are suitable for self-medication
I do not want to visit a doctor due to long waiting time 2.90
The doctor did not treat my problems successfully 2.40
I do not trust my doctor 1.84

8. Results: The use of drugs and other
procedures for self-medication
• The number of participants that reported the use of the drug or a
procedure without consulting a doctor.
N (1294=100%)
Herbal tea 903 (69.8%)
Herbs 822 (63.5%)
Vitamins and minerals 809 (62.5%)
Non prescription or OTC 655 (50.6%)
drugs
Diet 584 (45.1%)
Prescription medicines 272 (21.0%)
Drugs from the healer 90 (7.0%)
Homeopathic drugs 80 (6.2%)
Mass gain supplements 38 (2.9%)

9. Results: Symptoms and signs that are
frequently self-medicated
• We presented 29 common health problems and asked students to
select how they cope with them. Ten symptoms and signs that were
most frequently self-treated or left untreated are presented.
N (1294=100%)
Headache 1186 (91.7%)
Nasal discharge 1137 (87.9%)
Fatigue/tiredness 1115 (86.2%)
Cough 1085 (83.8%)
Diarrhoea 1048 (81.0%)
Raised body temperature 1014 (78.4%)
Common cold and flu 1003 (77.5%)
Mild to moderate pain in muscles 978 (75.6%)
and joints
Sore throat 873 (67.5%)
Vomiting 861(66.5%)

10. Conclusion
• Self-medication is widely used among student population
• Herbal tea, vitamins and minerals, herbs and non-
prescription drugs are most commonly used without
consultation of a doctor
• The health related problems that students reported they
treated by themselves are all a part of the group of most
frequently encountered self limiting problems
• Students have fairly good knowledge when and how long
self-medication is appropriate but the fact that more than
25% of participants would self-treat all symptoms or signs
is a reason for concern

11. Limitations
• The interpretation of the results should be
careful due to:
-Unknown response rate
-Unknown number of students without access to the
computer
• But a large number of participating students
from specific schools gives validity and
reliability of the results and allows us to
draw generalizing conclusions.

12. Acknowledgement
• We are thankful to all the participating
students.
• We acknowledge great support of GFK
Slovenija tržne raziskave d.o.o. by
providing us a platform free of charge.