title: Prevalence of self-medication among the elderly in Kermanshah-Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Self-medication is consumption of one or several medications without the physician's prescription. Given the risks of self-medication, this study was carried out to assess the prevalence of self-medication and its related factors among the elderly in Kermanshah-Iran
  
  
  METHODS
  In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 272 elderly visiting the private offices in Kermanshah were selected through convenience sampling method. The instrument for data collection was a researcher made self-medication questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytic statistical methods (Chi-Square and Fisher exact test).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of self-medication was 83%. The most common reasons for self-medication were certainty of its safety (93%), prior consumption of the drug (87.6%), busy offices of physicians (82%), non-seriousness of the illness (77.8%) and prior experience of the disease (73%).The most common drugs used for self-medication were analgesics (92%), cold drugs (74%), vitamins (61%), digestive drugs (54%) and antibiotics (43%). There was a significant correlation between self-medication and gender (p=0.001), education level (p=008), drug information (p=0.01), marital status (p=0.002), and medical insurance (p=0.001) variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  considering the relatively high rates of self-medication among the elderly as well as its side effects, designing and performing educational programs are suggested for the elderly people.
authors.forename: Faranak
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jafari
authors.affiliation: Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. akhatony@kums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khatony
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rahmani
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012651:Self Medication / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires