الفهرس 
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Abstract
Self-medication of analgesics involves the utilization of medicinal products with pain killer effect by the individuals to take care of self-recognized symptoms or continuous use of analgesics prescribed by a physician for chronic or recurring symptoms. It involves acquiring analgesics without a prescription, sharing medicines with relatives or members of one’s social circle or using left over medicines stored at home.
Globally, the prevalence rates of self-medication of analgesics are high all over the world. In a number of developing countries many drugs are dispensed over the counter without medical supervision. In Egypt, non-opioid analgesics sold as OTC without prescription but opioid analgesics controlled by MOHP as controlled substances.
The prevalence of analgesics use was progressively increased in Egypt during the last two decades. University students highly use analgesics without awareness of their side effect. University student starts self-medication of analgesics during their education and training.
Aim of the study:
To identify the prevalence of self-medication of analgesics among Minia University students, to determine the level of knowledge, attitude and practice regarding self-medication of analgesics among university students and compare that between medical and non-medical students. Research methodology:
This is a cross-sectional survey study, included 1142 students, 384 (33.6%) students from first year faculty of Medicine, 364 (31.9%) students from fourth year faculty of Medicine and 394 (34.5%) students from fourth year faculty of Specific Education during the period from December 2018 to December 2019.
Data were collected from participants after explaining the nature of the study and taking a verbal consent from each of them, confidentiality, privacy and freedom to withdraw from the study on the participant’s decision were assured. The approval of the research ethical committee of faculty of Medicine in Minia University, and of the faculties’ deans was obtained.
Data were collected by a self-administered structured Arabic questionnaire which was designed from previous validated questionnaires in similar studies and was modified by expert committee to suit and assess the situation in Egypt.
The questionnaire included:
1. Students’ demographic characteristics (Age, sex, residence, faculty, educational grade, living status, marital status and modified socioeconomic scale)
2. Practice toward self-medications of analgesics.
3. Knowledge about self-medications of analgesics.
4. Attitudes of the respondents towards self-medications of analgesics.
Results:
The study includes 1142 students, whose mean age is 20.73±1.61, 59.4% are female, 52.0% live in urban area, most of them are single (97.8%) and only 5.4% live alone. The total number of students who use analgesics regularly is 1094 (95.79%). paracetamol is the most frequent analgesics used by students as 70.3% used it.
the most common cause of taking analgesics among male students was headache (78.9%) followed by tooth, ear and throat pain (28.4%) in case of female students headache was most common cause of taking analgesics (65.2%) followed by menstrual pain (45.1%).
About 12% of the students had satisfactory knowledge about self-medication of analgesics and 99.1% of them had caution attitude toward it. The mean knowledge and attitude scores were significantly higher among medical than non-medical students. Faculty, educational grade and attitude toward self-medication of analgesics were significant predictors to participants’ level of knowledge about self-medication of analgesics but age, sex, residence, marital status, living alone and socioeconomic level score were insignificant predictors. There is significant association between residence, faculty, educational grade, age and knowledge level of college student and their attitude toward self-medication of analgesics. However sex, marital status, living status and socioeconomic level score had insignificant association to attitude toward self-medication of analgesics.
Recommendations
1. This study recommends developing education program to students to raise their awareness about the use of analgesics.
2. Pharmacists should advise people when buying analgesics to read the instruction paper and explain the harm caused by the use of medication without a prescription and the side effect of the drug.
3. MOHP should take actions in order to raise consumer awareness about the health hazards of high consumption of analgesics.