BMC Public Health. 2026 Jul 3. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-28292-2. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and access to health care are important determinants of health behaviors and may shift during periods of health system disruption such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to examine whether these determinants were associated with self-medication and whether the prevalence of self-medication changed in Türkiye before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS: This study used data from the Türkiye Health Survey conducted in 2019 (n = 16,253) and 2022 (n = 21,444), which was designed to provide national-level estimates for Türkiye. Descriptive analyses and chi-square tests were used to compare the prevalence of self-medication across survey periods. Multivariable modified Poisson regression models with robust variance were estimated separately for the pre-COVID-19 and during-COVID-19 periods to identify factors associated with self-medication and to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) with 95% confidence intervals. To assess whether associations differed between the two periods, pooled modified Poisson regression models were constructed including an indicator for survey period and interaction terms between the COVID-19 period and selected determinants. The statistical significance of interaction effects was evaluated using global Wald chi-squared tests.
RESULTS: The prevalence of self-medication increased significantly from the pre-COVID-19 period (34.9%) to the during-COVID-19 period (38.8%) (p < 0.001). In pooled analyses, self-medication remained more prevalent during the COVID-19 period (aPR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.08-1.14). Across both survey periods, higher prevalence of self-medication was observed among women, individuals with higher educational attainment, those reporting moderate or severe bodily pain, individuals with long-standing illness, tobacco or alcohol users, and those experiencing unmet health care needs due to waiting lists. Global interaction tests indicated that the associations of educational attainment, age group, and health insurance coverage with self-medication differed significantly between the pre- and during-COVID-19 periods, whereas the associations with gender, long-standing illness, and self-perceived health remained stable.
CONCLUSIONS: Self-medication prevalence was higher during the COVID-19-period survey in Türkiye, and the associations between self-medication and several sociodemographic and health-related determinants differed between survey periods. These findings suggest that changes in health care access and perceived health needs occurring during public health crises may be associated with differences in self-medication patterns, highlighting the importance of monitoring self-medication behaviors and supporting vulnerable population groups.
PMID:42399909 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-026-28292-2
