Self-medication with antibiotics—Does it really happen in Europe?

Knowledge and practices in the use of antibiotics among a group of Nigerian university students

“…Self medication with antibiotics is defined as the acquisition and selfadministration of antibiotics with the aim of treating a perceived infection. 24 this practice which has been observed in both industrialized and developing countries [24][25] is more common in the latter due to the poor socioeconomic status of the people and poor accessibility to barely available medical facilities. 24,[26][27][28] Factor that could encourage self medication among university students have been identified as assumed knowledge of diseases and their treatments, prior experience on the use of antibiotics, lack of time to visit physicians and poor financial status.…”

Antibiotic dispensation by Lebanese pharmacists: A comparison of higher and lower socio-economic levels

“…The ease of obtaining drugs without medical prescriptions can lead to the inappropriate use of ATBs [4], as over 50% of ATBs worldwide are purchased without a medical prescription [5]. The determinants of self-medication with ATBs are well documented: their over-the-counter (OTC) availability [6], the cost of medical consultation, low satisfaction with medical practitioners [7] and misconceptions regarding the efficiency of ATBs [8].…”

The symptom mitigation path of mobile community residents: Community pharmacy's role

“…Perhaps they are working for the best interests of their customers, but it may be that the intense competition between pharmacies pressures them to sell medicines without a prescription? Self-medication in Spain has been demonstrated in several studies [49][50][51][52]. Therefore, the Spanish government increased enforcement of these regulations [53].…”