RISCOS DA AUTOMEDICAÇÃO COM ANTIBIÓTICOS: REFLEXÕES SOBRE A PRÁTICA NO BRASIL E SEUS EFEITOS NA SAÚDE PÚBLICA

Self-medication refers to the use of medicines without a prescription or professional guidance, and it is a common practice in Brazilian society. This behavior is driven by several factors, such as easy access to medications, the search for quick relief of symptoms, and the lack of adequate information about the associated risks. Among the most commonly used drugs without control are antibiotics, whose improper use worsens one of the main current public health problems: bacterial resistance. This phenomenon compromises the effectiveness of treatments, hinders infection control, and increases risks to both individual and collective health. Therefore, this study is justified by the need to warn about the dangers of self-medication with antibiotics and to reinforce the importance of their rational use. This is a systematic literature review, with an exploratory character and qualitative approach, based on the analysis of 26 scientific articles published between 2020 and 2025. The research aims to contribute to the dissemination of information that promotes awareness and safety in the use of antibiotics.