Table 4.
Use of self-medication with antimicrobials for suspected infections
| Self-medication | ARTIs* (n=2223) | GTIs† (n=425) | UTIs† (n=133) | |||
| N | % | N | % | N | % | |
| (1) Respondents who bought medicines for suspected infection without prescriptions (Q2.14, Q2.30 and Q2.46) | ||||||
| Yes | 658 | 29.8 | 83 | 19.8 | 33 | 24.8 |
| No | 1551 | 70.2 | 337 | 80.2 | 100 | 75.2 |
| Not stated | 14 | NA | 5 | NA | 0 | NA |
| (2) Antimicrobials bought for suspected infection without prescriptions‡ (Q2.16, Q2.32 and Q2.48) | ||||||
| Yes | 354 | 62.5 | 36 | 51.4 | 22 | 72.7 |
| No | 212 | 37.5 | 34 | 48.6 | 6 | 27.3 |
| Not stated | 92 | NA | 13 | NA | 5 | NA |
| (3) Respondents who bought antimicrobials for suspected infection without prescriptions (Q2.14, Q2.16, Q2.30, Q2.32, Q2.46 and Q2.48) | ||||||
| Yes | 354 | 16.7 | 36 | 8.8 | 22 | 17.2 |
| No | 1763 | 83.3 | 371 | 91.2 | 106 | 82.8 |
| Not stated | 106 | NA | 18 | NA | 5 | NA |
| (3) Use of antimicrobials leftover from previous illness or given by relatives (Q2.17, Q2.33 and Q2.49) | ||||||
| Yes | 290 | 13.4 | 43 | 10.8 | 10 | 7.6 |
| No | 1872 | 86.6 | 356 | 89.2 | 122 | 92.4 |
| Not stated | 61 | NA | 26 | NA | 1 | NA |
*Most recent episode within the past 12 months.
†Episode within the past 3 months.
‡Includes only those who stated ‘yes’ to buy medicines for suspected infection without prescriptions.
ARTI, acute respiratory tract infection; GTI, gastrointestinal tract infection; NA, not applicable; Q plus a number, the reference number of question used in the questionnaire; UTI, urinary tract infection.