- The consumption of drugs should only be done with the prior recommendation of a health professional.
- According to Cofepris, it is estimated that 80% of the population in Mexico has resorted to self-medication at some point in their lives.
- One of its consequences is antimicrobial resistance and if the trend continues by 2050 it could cause 10 million deaths.
The Self-medication is one of the most harmful practices that exist, although it is increasingly common in Mexico. It seems like a minor situation but in reality it is the origin of other problems that affect everyone. Some of its consequences can already be seen but the outlook for the future is not encouraging.
Lack of free time promotes drug use
In this sense, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, a increase in the number of people taking drugs on their own initiative. Some of the reasons are the lack of time to go to a doctor, avoid waiting in lines, save the cost of a consultation and how easy it is to search for information on both diseases and treatments on the Internet.
According to information from the Federal Commission for the Protection against Health Risks (Cofepris), it is estimated that 80% of the population nationwide self-medicates. This happens because people first look for information on the Internet from unreliable sources and subsequently consume medicines without a prescription, which can cause problems such as resistance to bacteria, poisoning, allergies and in some cases, overdose.
During the winter season cases of self-medication increase: IMSS
However, the rise of technology combined with the capabilities offered by Artificial Intelligence could change people’s habits to reduce self-medication. This is demonstrated by the study Habits of Internet Users in Mexico 2023developed by the Internet Association of Mexico and Knowsy, which revealed that maintaining health is one of the 10 topics of greatest interest to users in digital media.
The results coincide with a research carried out by the organization “I am a Patient”. The work mentions that self-medication in Mexico is generated by a series of circumstances. Among the most common are the need to continue normal activities, for which a remedy known or recommended by close people is sought, but whose consequences can be fatal both in the short and long term.
What types of self-medication exist?
For its part, there are two types of self-medication: within the context of medical prescription, which involves changes in the dose or interruption of treatment or prolongation of it. There are also non-prescription ones, which means the consumption of medications or treatments without a medical prescription and without monitoring the process.
Now, one of the most severe consequences of indiscriminate drug consumption is antimicrobial resistance. It consists of the ability of bacteria to create resistance to antibiotics and become stronger, which means that in later phases the type of antibiotic is no longer sufficient to eliminate these bacteria. In addition, stronger doses or another type of drug with greater destruction capacity are required to eliminate it.
This behavior occurs based on a lack of information or because brochures that include more data are not adequately consulted. This means that the medication often relieves the symptoms but masks the true causes of the disease.
As a consequence of bacterial and microbial resistance, by 2050 it is estimated that there will be 10 million deaths associated with infections. With this in mind, self-medication in Mexico is an issue that must be addressed to reverse the problem.
Also read:
During the winter season cases of self-medication increase: IMSS
Self-medication in Mexico: 80% use this bad practice
Effect of the pandemic: More and more patients prefer self-medication