Self-Medication in Public Health

Introduction: Numerous proposals from public health professionals shows how to reform health care sector to achieve better health of the population. One way of empowering the patient in the health care system is to promote the ‘self-medication’ which is present in every community regardless of technological or cultural progression. Level of knowledge about responsible and safe self-medication is quite low though.

Materials & Methods: The aim of the analysis was to indicate if the self-medication can help in developing efficient health care system. A systematic review to gather information about role of self-medication in public health was conducted. MEDLINE via Pubmed was searched using following keywords: “self-care”, „self-medication”, „OTC”, „health policy”, „public health” (172 articles were found and 63 of them finally included). Reports by World Self-Medication Industry and Association of the European Self-Medication Industry were included into analysis as well as results of public opinion polls.

Results: Analyzed materials shows that high percentage of consumers uses different OTC drugs in many countries. Data form British Department of Health indicates that self-medication improves overall health of community and increases patient’s satisfaction. High percentage of primary care and emergency services regards mild and harmless conditions. Further promotion of self-medication can save the time and costs of health care maintenance. Self-medication transfers significant part of treatment cost from payer to consumer. Simulations shows that changing status of 5% prescription to OTC drugs generates 16 billion euro annually in 25 EU countries.

Discussion & Conclusions: Most of the analyzed materials shows positive influence of self-medication on public health. Mechanisms of control and vigilant monitoring should be developed though, to ensure possible highest positive influence of self-medication on public health. Health education actions towards improving health literacy seems to be a key issue for the future development of responsible and safe self-medication and self-care.