Nov. 2023, 1
One-third of family caregivers use self-medication, research by University of Tsukuba
A survey by Shoichi Masumoto, a lecturer at the University of Tsukuba School of Medicine, found that one in three family members caring for chronically ill patients use over-the-counter drugs to manage their own health problems. .Lecturer Masumoto and others have proposed that family caregivers also need care from various professionals.
According to the University of Tsukuba, Lecturer Masumoto and his colleagues conducted a questionnaire survey of family caregivers living in three municipalities in Ibaraki Prefecture from November to December 2020, and analyzed the data of 11 people who responded effectively.The average age of the respondents was 12 years old, and women accounted for 3% of the total.
As a result, one-third of family caregivers answered that they self-medicate themselves to maintain their health.On the other hand, family caregivers who rated themselves as receiving good care from a range of professionals were less likely to self-medicate.
Self-medication can be used without consulting a healthcare professional and can be expected to be effective to some extent, but there are risks such as misuse and abuse of drugs, unexpected adverse events, and drug interactions.
This research is the first case in the world to investigate the actual situation of self-medication of family caregivers.Lecturer Masumoto and others pointed out that it is necessary for specialists in charge of patient care to give appropriate advice for caring for family caregivers, and that support for caregivers to carry out appropriate self-medication should also be considered. are doing.
