Estudio muestral del consumo de medicamentos y automedicación en Lima Metropolitana

A prospective and trasversal survey was carried out in two drugstores of different socioeconomic level in order to find out the consumption and self-medication characteristics. Then, 720 persons were surveyed.We found in the low socioeconomic level drugstore a major proportions of children, women, illiterates and incomplete scholarity, housewives and independent workers, acute illnesses (infectious, parasitic and dermatological ). And , in the high socioeconomic level drugstore a major proportion of elderly, high scholarity dependent workers and professionals, subacute and chronic illnesses (digestives, mental, cardiovascular and endocrinological). Antimicrobials (ampicilin and cotrimoxazol) were the most sellest drugs followed by NSAID`s, antigripals, and vitamines. Self-medication was more frequent in the low socioeconomic level than the high one, 66.7% vs 40.6% (p<0.001) and correlated with a major proportion of children; low level scholarity, to be student or independent worker, acute illnesses (respiratory and dermatological). Incomplete prescriptions of antimicrobials was also showed, including the facultative ones. (Rev Med Hered 1992; 3: 101-108).