Table 1.

Terms used in the concept of SM proposed by the authors of the 65 selected articles.

Category	Number of articles that included the category	Percentage (n = 65)	Reference
Medication type	30	46	15–43
Use of unconventional drugs	6	9	15,18,24,30,44,45
Dietary supplements and vitamins	2	3	19,24
Nonparticipation of a health professional	40	62	15,18–22,24,26–30,32–37,39,43,44,46–64
Source of self-medication	41	63	8,18,22,23,25,26,28–31,33,36–38,40–42,44,45,47,48,50,52,54–57,60,61,63,65–75
Way the medication is obtained	54	83	8,15,16,18–20,22,23,25,27–42,44,45,47–53,55–61,63,65–76
Action, behavior or conduct	14	22	15,32,35,36,44–46,48,49,54,56,57,62,77
Self-diagnosis, self-treatment, and self-prescription	33	51	8,15,22,25,26,29,37,38,40,41,43–48,53,55,56,61,63–72,74,76,77
Self-care	6	9	37,50,52,56,67,72
Self-medication by individuals in charge	4	6	23,28,45,66
Severity of the condition	35	54	8,15,18,22,23,25,28,29,31,35–37,39–42,48,50,54,56,57,60,61,63,65–72,74–76
Consequences of self-medication	5	8	15,22,67,69,78
Noncompliance with the prescription or lack of adherence	7	11	8,41,43,45,62,68,71
Use of reused medicines	7	11	29,33,45,47,51,55,56
Responsible and nonresponsible self-medication	7	11	23,30,35,42,49,51,69
Global public health problem	7	11	15,23,27,40,41,51,68