@article { author = {Askarian, Mehrdad and Hosseingholizadeh mahani, Mohsen and Danaei, Mina and Momeni, Mohsen}, title = {A Study of Antibiotics Self-Medication at Primary Health Care Centers in Shiraz, Southern Iran}, journal = {Journal of Health Sciences & Surveillance System}, volume = {1}, number = {1}, pages = {1-5}, year = {2013}, publisher = {Shiraz University Of Medical Sciences}, issn = {2345-2218}, eissn = {2345-3893}, doi = {}, abstract = {Background: Nowadays, self-medication of therapeutic agents is of global concern particularly in developing and underdeveloped countries. Some studies conducted in Iran showed that the frequency of self-medication was significant. Objective: This research was conducted to estimate the prevalence of arbitrary use of antibiotics in Shiraz community with special interest in its determinant factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Shiraz, in 2009. Approximately 710 out of all patients referred to all health care centers in Shiraz were selected to fill out a questionnaire containing 23 questions divided into two parts. The frequency of self-medication according to demographic factors was described and the association between independent variables and selfmedication was analyzed. Results: The frequency of self-medication in this study was 44.5% and the request to prescribe antibiotics by the patients was 53.5%. Amoxicillin was the most widely used drug by the participants. There was a significant association between age and gender with self-medication. The frequent cause for self-medication was common cold. Approximately, 74.4% of the participants reported their previous experience as the main reason for self-medication. Conclusion: The results of this survey demonstrated the high frequency of self-medication in Shiraz. Socio-cultural determinants are the etiologic factors for self-medication. Policy makers are recommended to provide community-wide educational programs to make people aware about the adverse effects of self-medication. There was a significant association between age, gender and education with self-medication and governments could pay more attention to these factors for designing the interventional programs.}, keywords = {Self-medication,Antibiotics,prevalence,Iran}, url = {https://jhsss.sums.ac.ir/article_42729.html}, eprint = {https://jhsss.sums.ac.ir/article_42729_f9fd5e353a516885fd82ec99abc512cd.pdf} }