OBJECTIVE: To describe the self-medicating behaviours (SMBs) in patients admitted to a tertiary care medical emergency department (ED); to study the factors associated with SMBs. METHODS: Observational cross-sectional study conducted in 2009. Included patients were interviewed about their SMBs using a standardized questionnaire. The search for factors associated with SMBs used multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among the 315 patients who were interviewed, 239 (75.9%) reported one SMBs or more in their lives and 105 (43.9%) within 7 days of admission to the ED. Some of the medications reported during interviews are known to be associated with adverse drug events. After adjustment, SMBs were conversely associated with an age ≥80 years, a number of prescribed medications ≥4 and a social vulnerability condition. CONCLUSION: The description of SMBs and the analysis of their determinants are necessary to improve the recognition of adverse events related to self-medication in ED patients.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the self-medicating behaviours (SMBs) in patients admitted to a tertiary care medical emergency department (ED); to study the factors associated with SMBs. METHODS: Observational cross-sectional study conducted in 2009. Included patients were interviewed about their SMBs using a standardized questionnaire. The search for factors associated with SMBs used multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among the 315 patients who were interviewed, 239 (75.9%) reported one SMBs or more in their lives and 105 (43.9%) within 7 days of admission to the ED. Some of the medications reported during interviews are known to be associated with adverse drug events. After adjustment, SMBs were conversely associated with an age ≥80 years, a number of prescribed medications ≥4 and a social vulnerability condition. CONCLUSION: The description of SMBs and the analysis of their determinants are necessary to improve the recognition of adverse events related to self-medication in ED patients.