Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of self-medication with proprietary medicines and/or herbs among diabetic patients and evaluate factors associated with self-medication among diabetic patients.

Subjects and methods: A total of 104 diabetic patients were selected randomly from eight diabetic clinics from three governorates. Data were collected via face-to-face structured interview of the respondents in the clinics using a developed and piloted questionnaire.

Results: The response rate was 96.2%. Seventy-four percent of the study participants reported that they seek medical consultation when they get an illness, 92% indicated that they know that the use of medicines and/or herbs to treat an illness without a medical consultation can be harmful. Only 13% of the respondents reported that they had used medicine or herbs without medical consultation to treat an illness within the previous 2 months of the study period. Nine percent of the study population reported that they used herbs to treat diabetes, and 2% used them for other illness. Only two (2%) indicated that they used medicines, which were analgesics, diet pills and vitamins. There was no significant association between self-medication with medicines or herbs and the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication with medicines, including herbs, among diabetic patients in Kuwait is low. Enforcement of a strict prescription policy and coverage of medical consultation and treatment by health insurance may have contributed to low self-medication practices among diabetic patients.