Exploring self-medication among university students during the covid-19 pandemic and its association with suspected Sars-CoV-2 virus infection

Self-medication is defined as the use of medicines without a prescription and supervision by a qualified professional. This practice can cause a lot of damage to an individual’s health, such as allergic reactions, dependence, drug resistance, among others. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-medication and its association with covid-19 infection among university students at Federal Higher Education Institutions (IFES) in Minas Gerais, during remote teaching due to the covid-19 pandemic. This was a cross-sectional and multicenter study, with undergraduate students from eight Brazilian IFES. Data collection took place between October 2021 and February 2022. The students responded to a self-administered questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle habits and health conditions, available on an online platform. The medicines mentioned by the students were separated by classes, according to the ATC (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical) and cases of self-medication were subsequently identified. Descriptive (frequency) and bivariate (Pearson's chi-square test) analyzes were carried out. A multivariate analysis (logistic regression) was carried out between self-reported infection by the covid-19 virus and the practice of self-medication. 8650 students participated in the study, with 26.57% (95%CI: 25.32–27.86) reporting self-medication. Analgesics, antidepressants and anti-inflammatories were the most cited classes. Students suspected of being infected with the covid-19 virus used self-medication more often compared to non-infected students [OR: 1.63 (95% CI: 1.34–1.99)]. Self-medication was associated with suspected infection with the covid-19 virus. It is necessary to create actions that make students aware of the problems that this practice can cause.