Journal of School of Public Health and

Background and Aim: Self-medication, as a common risky health behavior, has financial and non-financial costs for Iranians.  This study aimed at determining the situation of self-medication and factors influencing it among women in Yasuj, Iran.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 192 women referred to urban health care centers in Yasuj, selected randomly from the existing health files at the centers. Data were collected using a standard questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model and analyzed by SPSS 16 statistical software.

Results: The most widely used medicines for self-medication were those for common cold and antibiotics from among over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and prescription-only-medicines (POM), respectively. Perceived susceptibility (17.63± 3.46) was the main construct associated with self-medication among women.

Conclusion: Once the causes of self-medication and its relationship with the Health Belief Model constructs are known, designing and implementing educational programs aiming at promoting awareness and perception of population groups, especially women, seems necessary.

: Materials and MethodsThis study was a randomized controlled trial including 396 patients, conducted in 10 randomly health centers allocated as intervention or control groups. The data were collected using questionnaires. The educational intervention included holding educational classes, distribution of pamphlets, hanging posters/flyers, ResultsAnalysis of the data showed statistically significant differences between mean scores of the health belief model components (knowledge, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers) and practice in both the intervention and control groups before and after the educational intervention (p < 0.01).

: <span lang="EN" times="" new="" roman";="" "times="" "b="" lotus";="" en;="" major-bidi;="" major-bidi;"="">Considering the self-reported increased awareness and decreased practice in the intervention group, it seems that the health belief model is an appropriate model for reducing arbitrary use of antibiotics.