The Determinants of self-medication: evidence from urban Vietnam

Hoai, Nguyen Trong and Dang, Thang (2016): The Determinants of self-medication: evidence from urban Vietnam.

Abstract

This study examines the primary determinants of self-medications among urban citizens in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. To achieve the research objective, the questionnaire is designed to elicit the respondents’ necessary information using in-depth personal interviews. Employing logistic models the paper finds that the probability of self-medication is positively associated with the respondents’ high school degree or vocational certificate, married status, and income while it is negatively related to employed status, the number of children, the geographical distance from home to the nearest hospital, doing exercise, and living in a central region. Meanwhile, using Poisson models the paper finds that the frequency of self-medication is positively associated with the respondents’ high school and vocational, married, income, and chronic disease while the frequency of self-medication is adversely related to male, employed, children number, distance, being close to health professional and central areas.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Self-medication; Ho Chi Minh City; Vietnam
• Subjects: I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I11 - Analysis of Health Care Markets; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I18 - Government Policy ; Regulation ; Public Health

References

Alam, N., Saffoon, N., and Uddin, R. 2015. Self-medication among medical and pharmacy students in Bangladesh. BMC Research Notes 8: 763.

Awad, A., Eltayeb, I., Matowe, L., and Thalib, L. 2005. Self-medication with Antibiotics and Antimalarials in the community of Khartoum State, Sudan. Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences 8(2): 326–331.

Bennadi, D. 2014. Self-medication: A current challenge. Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacy 5: 19-23.

Chang, F. R., and Trivedi, P. K. 2003. Economics of self‐medication: theory and evidence. Health Economics 12(9): 721-739.

Cushing H. 1925. The Llife of Sir William Osler (2nd edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

de Moraes, A. C., Delaporte, T. R., Molena-Fernandes, C. A., and Falcão, M. C. 2011. Factors associated with medicine use and self medication are different in adolescents. CLINICS 66(7): 1149–1155.

Du, Y., and Knopf, H. 2009. Self-medication among children and adolescents in Germany: results of the National Health Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 68: 599–608.

Eticha T., and Mesfin K. 2014. Self-Medication Practices in Mekelle, Ethiopia. PLoS ONE 9(5): e97464.

Figueiras, A., Caamano, F., and Gestal-Otero, J. J. 2000. Socio-demographic factors related to self-medication in Spain. European Journal of Epidemiology 16: 19–26.

Garofalo, L., Giuseppe, G. D., and Angelillo, I. F. 2015. Self-Medication Practices among Parents in Italy. BioMed Research International. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/580650.

Grigoryan L., Haaijer-Ruskamp F. M., Burgerhof J. G., Mechtler R., Deschepper R., Tambic-Andrasevic A., Andrajati R., Monnet D. L., Cunney R., Di Matteo A., Edelsein H., Valinteliene R., Alkerwi A., Scicluna E., Grzesiowski P., Bara A. C., Tesar T., Cizman M., Campos J., Lundborg C. S., and Birkin J. 2006. Self-medication with antimicrobial drugs in Europe. Emerging Infectious Diseases 12: 452–459.

Grigoryan, L., Burgerhof, J. G. M., Degener, J. E., Deschepper, R., Lundborg, C. S., Monnet, D. L., Scicluna, E. A., Birkin J., and Haaijer-Ruskamp, F. M. 2008. Determinants of self-medication with antibiotics in Europe: the impact of beliefs, country wealth and the healthcare system. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 61: 1172–1179.

Gyawali, S., Shankar, P. R., Poudel, P. P., and Saha, A. 2015. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Self-Medication Among Basic Science Undergraduate Medical Students in a Medical School in Western Nepal. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research 9(12): FC17-FC22.

Hernandez-Juyol, M., and Job-Quesada J. R. 2002. Dentistry and self-medication: A current challenge. Med Oral 7: 344–347.

Jones R. V. 1976. Self-medication in a small community. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 26: 410-413.

Nunes de Melo, M., Madureira, B., Nunes Ferreira, A. P., Mendes, Z., Miranda Ada, C., and Martins, A. P. 2006. Prevalence of self-medication in rural areas of Portugal. Pharmacy World and Science 28(1): 19-25.

Pavydė, E., Veikutis, V., Mačiulienė, A., Mačiulis, V., Petrikonis, K., and Stankevičius E. 2015. Public Knowledge, Beliefs and Behavior on Antibiotic Use and Self-Medication in Lithuania. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 12: 7002-7016.

Ramalhinho, I., Cordeiro, C., Cavaco, A., and Cabrita, J. 2014. Assessing determinants of self-medication with antibiotics among Portuguese people in the Algarve Region International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy 36: 1039–1047.

Setiawan, E., Hasanbasri, M., and Trisnantoro, L. 2012. How should the health system react to informal drug dispensaries? The case of self-medication in Yogyakarta Province. BMC Public Health 12(2): A16.

Shankar, P.R., Partha P., and Shenoy N. 2002. Self medication and non-doctor prescription practices in Pokhara valley, Western Nepal: a questionnaire based study. BMC Family Practice 3:17.

Shehnaz, S. I., Agarwal A. K., and Khan N. 2014. A systematic review of self-medication practices among adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health 55(4): 467-483.

WHO (World Health Organization). 2015. The role of the pharmacist in self-care and self-medication. Available from: http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/pdf/whozip32e/ whozip32e.pdf.

WHO (World Health Organization). 1998. The role of the pharmacist in self-care and self-medication. Report of the 4th WHO Consultative Group on the Role of the Pharmacist, The Hague, The Netherlands, August.

WHO (World Health Organization). 2000a. WHO Guidelines for the regulatory assessment of medicinal products for use in self-medication. WHO Drug Information 14(1): 18-26.

WHO (World Health Organization). 2000b. The benefits and risks of self-medication. WHO Drug Information 14(1): 1-2.

Yusuff, K. B., and Omarusehe, L. 2011. Determinants of self medication practices among pregnant women in Ibadan, Nigeria. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy 33: 868–875.