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1751

Self-medication: a qualitative approach of its motivations

Janeth de Oliveira Silva Naves 1
Lia Lusitana Cardozo de Castro 2
Christine Maria Soares de Carvalho 3
Edgar Merchán-Hamann 4

1
Curso de Ciências
Farmacêuticas,
Universidade de Brasília.
Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa
Norte. 70910-900 Brasília
DF. [e-mail]
2
Pós-graduação em
Ciências da Saúde,
Universidade de Brasília.
3
Curso de Letras,
Universidade Católica de
Brasília.
4
Departamento de Saúde
Coletiva, Universidade de
Brasília.

Abstract A qualitative research was realized to verify the occurrence and motivations for selfmedication and the quality of the information rendered by pharmacies. We conducted 3 focus groups with 25 patients of a reference public health service for STD treatment in Brasília, Brazil. We used the critical discourse analysis to interpret the data obtained during interviews. The analysis revealed that self-medication was a common practice among participants, motivated mainly by discontentment with the long waiting period and the quality of the public health services. Other motivations included: previous experience with medications, advice from friends and family members and the search for an anonymous service provided at pharmacies due to embarrassment and inadequate care environment at health care services.
Care provided at pharmacies was also considered unsatisfactory. Viewed essentially as a commercial establishment, pharmacies have become, yet, an easy accessible alternative. Most of participants perceived the pharmacists as ordinary employees seeking only to increase profits. The results suggest a need to improve access to health care services, as well as to render it more humane. Community pharmacies should to be turned into health establishments to participate in health education and orientation for rational drugs use.
Key words Self-medication, Focus groups, Discourse analysis, Pharmacies

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