Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2026 Jun 22;60:e20250573. doi: 10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0573en. eCollection 2026.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of self-medication and factors associated with this behavior among students in the health field.
METHOD: A cross-sectional study conducted at a public university in Minas Gerais with 237 students. Data collection was carried out using a structured form to obtain sociodemographic variables and information on knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding self-medication. Descriptive analysis and regression modeling were performed.
RESULTS: The majority (84.8%) reported practicing self-medication and demonstrated a high level of favorability for the behavior; 57.7% demonstrated adequate knowledge. Students in the early grades were more likely to have inadequate knowledge. Favorable attitudes were significantly associated with the 18-20 age group and low income. The highest rates of self-medication were statistically linked to young people and those who self-identified as Black.
CONCLUSION: The high incidence of self-medication and the false perception of technical autonomy highlight the medicalization of life as a response to academic pressures. The results demonstrated vulnerabilities associated with structural inequalities and reinforce the need for institutional interventions focused on medication safety.
PMID:42330354 | DOI:10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2025-0573en
