Practice of self-medication among nursing academics during the covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the practice of self-medication among students of the nursing course during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This is a study with a quantitative approach, carried out with students in the last year of the nursing course at a university center in Acre, who acted on the front line of the fight against COVID-19 in hospital units as a result of the mandatory curricular internship. RESULTS: the majority were between 18 and 28 years old (80.8%), female (80.8%), single (84.6%), brown skin color (69.2%), and family income of one to three minimum wages (73.1%). They used to self-medicate (61.5%) and were not influenced by the practice of self-medication (34.6%). The main medicines used were supplements (65.4%), natural medicines (42.3%), and azithromycin (38.5%). Most felt overwhelmed during the internship period (61.5%), however, they did not self-medicate with specific medications in order to avoid contracting COVID-19 or performed early treatment (69.2%). Most did not become infected with the disease during the development of practical activities (69.2%). Concerning the risks of self-medication, the majority demonstrated knowledge (92.3%), standing out as the main ones, intoxication (34.6%), drug dependence (26.9%), and microbial resistance (26.9%). CONCLUSION: the practice of self-medication occurred during the pandemic period in the studied population, but it was not influenced by the overload of hospital practices, as it was already a common behavior among them. In this sense, it is necessary to raise awareness through educational activities introduced in institutions of teaching so that it results in the rational use of medicines.