Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Volume 57, Issue -, Pages 3-12Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2017.01.014
Keywords
Self-medication; Self-treatment; Non-prescription; Antibiotic; Antibacterial; Middle East
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Objectives: There has been no review on the prevalence, possible causes, and clinical outcomes of self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) in the Middle East. Methods: Databases were searched (January 2000 through June 2016) for articles on SMA among adults aged >= 18 years living in the Middle East. A hand search for relevant citations and key journals was also performed. Results: Twenty-two studies were found. The prevalence of SMA ranged from 19% to 82%. Age, sex, and educational and income levels were the main determinants of SMA. Socio-cultural, economic, and regulatory factors were the most commonly cited reasons for SMA. Penicillins were the antibiotics most commonly used; the antibiotics were obtained mainly via stored leftover drugs, pharmacies without prescriptions, and friends/relatives. SMA was mainly for upper respiratory tract problems. The primary sources of drug information included relatives/friends and previous successful experience. Inappropriate drug use such as wrong indication, short and long duration of treatment, sharing of antibiotics, and storing antibiotics at home for use at a later time were reported. Negative and positive outcomes of SMA were identified. Conclusions: It is important to understand the links between different factors promoting SMA and to assess the changing trends in order to derive strategies aimed at reducing drug-related health risks. (C) 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases.
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