THE IMPACT OF SELF-MEDICATION WITH NSAIDS / ANALGESICS IN A NORTH-EASTERN REGION OF ROMANIA

Self-medication is a widespread practice to treat health problems, being involved in delayed diagnosis, worsening of disease evolution and the occurrence of adverse effects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of the use of analgesics, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic form of medicines as self-medication in a population group in the North-eastern Romania (rural versus urban areas) and medical reasons for their administration. The questionnaire method was applied to two groups of people in rural and urban areas from north-eastern Romania. Study duration was six months (August 2013 March 2014), while self-medication was monitored. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of UMF "Gr. T. Popa" Iasi. Our study included 461 people aged between 20 and 90 years old, of which 55.3% were from urban areas versus 44.7% from rural areas, females being dominant (75.5%). The drugs we tracked were used by 84.8% of the surveyed population, in most cases the administration being made without prior professional advice. Of the 281 participants from urban areas, 92 % have turned to selfmedication, compared with 52.11% in rural areas. Paracetamol (46.6%), ibuprofen (30.4%) and metamizole (12.7%) are among the most widely used analgesics, both in urban and rural areas. The most frequent symptoms that required self-medication were: headache (urban and rural areas), respiratory disorders (predominantly urban) and osteo-articular problems (rural areas). Misuse of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, especially in urban areas is an important concern for health care services, thus necessitating the implementation of national programs to inform and educate the population on the risks of self-medication. Rezumat Automedicaţia este o practică larg răspândită pentru tratarea problemelor de sănătate, fiind implicată in intârzierea diagnosticării, agravarea evoluţiei unor afecţiuni si in apariţia efectelor adverse. Scopul studiului a fost evaluarea prevalenţei utilizării de analgezice, antiinflamatoare si antipiretice sub formă de automedicaţie, intr-un grup populaţional din nord-estul României (mediul rural versus urban) si motivele medicale care au determinat administrarea acestora. S-a aplicat metoda chestionarelor pe două loturi de persoane din mediul rural si urban. Durata studiului a fost de sase luni calendaristice