The World Health Organization (WHO) defines self-medication as the use of drugs “to treat self-diagnosed disorders or symptoms, or the intermittent or continued use of a prescribed drug for chronic or recurrent diseases or symptoms”. Scientists and medical professionals do not approve of the practice as it can cause greater health risks among those who self-medicate.
Without proper medical guidance, those who self-medicate may use improper medicines to treat their illness. Experts also warn of missed diagnosis, inappropriate treatment, or delay in proper treatment that may cause resistance to antibiotics and increased morbidity.
The latest PhilCare Wellness Index 2021 reveals that self-medication remains prevalent among Filipinos. Only 7.4% from the total of the study’s 1,500 respondents claimed that they do not self-medicate. Many Filipinos still rely on advertisements, previous medical prescriptions, and the opinions of their relatives, families, and friends as basis for their self-diagnosis and self-medication. Open access to health information over the internet also adds to the confidence of Filipinos to self-medicate as supported by the findings of the latest PhilCare Wellness Index.
Despite access to online or over the phone consultations, respondents “somewhat agreed” that they prefer to consult a pharmacist in the drugstore because they are “afraid of what the medical professional would discover during consultation”. Majority of Filipinos would rather do online research rather than online consultation.
The findings of the PhilCare Wellness Index indicate that prevalent cultures and beliefs surrounding healthcare that should also be addressed not only by the health sector, but other affected sectors in general. Companies’ investment in their workers’ health and wellness would not be maximized if their employees would still subscribe to improper health practices such as self-medication.
Self-medication is a waste of resources not only for individuals, but also for sectors that invest in the healthcare of their members. In this information age, PhilCare believes that having proper health information is crucial in advancing proper healthcare.
The PhilCare Wellness Index is a pioneering study that seeks to determine the attitude, behaviors, and practices of Filipinos regarding their health and wellness. It was launched in 2014 and has been conducted three more times, once every year since 2019.
