[Self-Medication: A Nationwide Representative Survey on Motives, Reasons and Sources on Consuming Over-the-Counter Medication]

Abstract

Introduction: Self-medication, meaning the autonomous treatment of self diagnosed diseases with non-prescription drugs, has become an increasingly relevant topic - not the least because since 2004 most non-prescription drugs were no longer refunded by statutory health insurance, due to the GKV-Modernisierungsgesetz. In light of the above, the central questions that motivate this paper are the following: - Where does the german population obtain information about non-prescription drugs? - Which health impairments are treated with non-prescription drugs before seeing a doctor and for what reasons? - Which habits, experiences and estimates concerning self-medication are shared?

Methods: To answer these questions the GfK market research institution in Nürnberg conducted a survey treating different topics from 7(th) to 21(st) December 2012. The sample selected by the quota method is considered to be representative for the population of men and women aged 14 and above in Germany and is based on a total of 1 976 personal interviews.

Results: 94.9% of those questioned did treat at least one of the 25 symptoms included in the survey with non-prescription medicine before potentially seeing a doctor. The most common place to obtain information about OTC products is pharmacies. The symptoms most commonly treated by oneself are cold symptoms and headaches. The evidence from this study suggests a variety of factors explaining this behavior. Most of the respondents do not want to see a doctor over minor issues, i. e., think their health problems are not severe enough require consulting a doctor. Furthermore long waiting times and limited opening hours are mentioned. The majority of the respondents had good experiences with self-medication. However, some of the participants keep their OTC use from their treating physicians.

Conclusion: In conclusion, it becomes evident that both opportunities and risks come with self-medication. Strategies to capitalize those opportunities and mitigate these risks are presented, with the trusted relationship between physician and patient playing critical role.