Health complaints and use of medicines among adolescents in Malta

Abstract

*Objective: To investigate self-reported health complaints and the use of medicines among adolescents in Malta. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was used to survey self-reported health complaints, the use and the sources of medicines that had been accessed, during the preceding 3 months among adolescents attending secondary schools in Malta. A stratified random sample design generated a sample size of 514 students. The health complaints and use of medicines that were investigated included ear problems/hay fever/cold/cough, headache, skin problems, sport injuries, indigestion/diarrhoea/constipation, eye problems and menstrual pain (for girls). The use of vitamins and antibiotics was also investigated. Results: A total of 477 students participated in the final data collection. Correct information was submitted by 474 students, (aged 14-16 years), who formed the analytical sample, of which 53.8% were girls. The students reported a mean number of 2.70 (SD = 1.39) out of a total of 7 health complaints and 90.3% reported using at least 1 medicine during the preceding 3 months. The community pharmacy was cited as the most commonly accessed source for most of the medicines that were investigated. A proportion of 24.3% of the students had taken at least 1 medicine without adult guidance during the preceding 3 months. Almost 10% of those who had taken antibiotics, had accessed them from the home medicine cabinet. Conclusion: A high proportion of adolescents in Malta reported the use of medicines to alleviate the symptoms of common health complaints. This result is concordant with previous research carried out in the United Kingdom, Germany, Slovakia and Kuwait. A considerable proportion of students in this study had obtained medicines without adult guidance and accessed antibiotics from the home medicine cabinet. This highlights the importance of carefully designed education programs for adolescents that will integrate information about the proper use of medicines.

Knowledge and sources of information about medicines among adolescents in Malta

“…Published research carried out in other countries had shown a lack of awareness of the lethal potential of paracetamol by 10-43% of adolescents 28,29. The widespread use, ease of access and the massive advertisement campaigns of painkillers, might give the illusion that paracetamol is an innocuous medicine 4,5,10,30…”

“…The use of medicines particularly that which occurs without adult guidance, for the treatment of health problems, has been reported to be common practice during adolescence 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12. With the development of formal operational thinking, the adolescent often engages in autonomous health behaviours 13.…”

Medication and Medication Wastage: Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of an Educational Intervention Among School Children

“…A self-reporting questionnaire among 14- to 16-year-old Maltese students showed that 90.3% of respondents had taken at least one medication in the previous 3 months. 21 In the current study, 82.5% of students knew at least one type of medication. Therefore, starting to educate children about medication and medication wastage from a young age contributes to their education in making good choices in life once they enter adulthood.…”

Beyond access to adequate WASH facilities: Menstrual hygiene practices of high school adolescent girls

“…We also found that most (73%) of the girls experienced menstrual cramps in their last period which although is higher, it is consistent with the finding of Nsemo et al (2020) who found that majority (51%) of the girls in Asamang in Southern-Ghana experienced cramps. Ellul et al (2008) reported a higher figure (59.6%) than that of Nsemo et al (2020). In treating it however only a few (9%) of them sought a health service while most of them either did nothing or self-medicated which is ill-advised and a common problem (de Sanctis et al, 2020).…”