Between immediate relief and perceived risk: meanings and decisions in selfmedication. A qualitative study

Authors
Keywords:
decision-making, health practices, medication use, qualitative study, risk perceptions
Abstract

This article examines how people construct meanings around self-medication and how those meanings shape “in-the-moment” decisions—particularly under the tension between immediate symptom relief and perceived risk (adverse effects, drug interactions, masking illness, or dependence). Using an interpretive qualitative approach, semi-structured  interviews were conducted with participants who reported recent self-medication episodes, exploring motives, criteria for drug selection, information sources, prior experiences, and access to health services. Thematic analysis identified four central patterns: (1) self medication as a strategy to quickly regain control over discomfort and maintain everyday functioning; (2) risk appraisal grounded more in personal experience and bodily “signals” than in clinical information; (3) the influence of close social networks (family, friends, pharmacy staff) and common-sense knowledge about medicines; and (4) decisions shaped by access barriers (time, costs, appointment availability) and by trust/distrust in the health system. The discussion argues that self-medication is not merely an instrumental practice but a form of well-being management mediated by perceived vulnerability, moral legitimacy (“not overreacting”), and situational calculation. Implications are proposed for health education and risk communication focused on everyday scenarios and practical decision criteria.

Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References

Akhtar, M. A. (2012). Self medication [Editorial]. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 28(3), 349–351. https://applications.emro.who.int/imemrf/Pak_J_Med_Sci/Pak_J_Med_Sci_2012_2 8_3_349_351.pdf

Almeida Cerino, M. J., Priego Álvarez, H. R., Córdova Hernández, J. A., Morales García, M. H., & Sevilla Jerónimo, P. (2020). Automedicación de medicamentos genéricos en usuarios de farmacias en un municipio mexicano. Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Universidad del Cauca, 22, 24–32. https://doi.org/10.47373/rfcs.2020.v22.1573

Arboleda Forero, V., Cruzate Hernández, J. P., Yepes Restrepo, M., & Higuita-Gutiérrez, L. F. (2023). Antibiotic self-medication patterns and associated factors in the context of COVID-19, Medellín, Colombia: A survey based cross sectional study. Patient Preference and Adherence, 17, 3057–3066. https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S434030

Baracaldo-Santamaría, D., Trujillo-Moreno, M. J., Pérez-Acosta, A. M., Feliciano-Alfonso, J. E., Calderon-Ospina, C.-A., & Soler, F. (2022). Definition of self-medication: A scoping review. Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, 13, 20420986221127501. https://doi.org/10.1177/20420986221127501

Caicedo, J. E., Amaya Villacis, L. D., Gaviria Simba, K. M., Lara Hernández, M. N., & Tapia Castro, A. A. (2024). Impacto de la resistencia antimicrobiana en el tratamiento de las infecciones respiratorias agudas en pediatría: una revisión bibliográfica. LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, 5(6), 1369–1377. https://doi.org/10.56712/latam.v5i6.3089

Casas Navarro, A. M., Morales Rojas, M. E., Cohuo Cob, S. M., Aké Canul, D. F., Balam Ek, M., & Valle Solís, M. O. (2024). Automedicación con antibióticos y creencias sobre la resistencia antimicrobiana en una comunidad suburbana de México. Index de Enfermería, 33(3), e14817. https://doi.org/10.58807/indexenferm20246922

Del Toro, M., Díaz, A., Barrios, Z., & Castillo, I. (2017). Automedicación y creencias en torno a su práctica en Cartagena, Colombia. Revista Cuidarte, 8(1), 1509–1518. https://doi.org/10.15649/cuidarte.v8i1.367

Kazemioula, G., Golestani, S., Alavi, S. M. A., Taheri, F., Gheshlagh, R. G., & Lotfalizadeh, M. H. (2022). Prevalence of self-medication during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 1041695. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1041695

Pacha Jara, A. G., De la Torre Fiallos, A. V., Guangasig Toapanta, V. H., & Hidalgo Morales, K. P. (2023). Automedicación: un enfoque de revisión sobre sus riesgos, consecuencias y una práctica responsable. LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, 4(4), 708–721. https://doi.org/10.56712/latam.v4i4.1252

Pan American Health Organization. (2015, November 18). Antibiotics should be “handled with care” to preserve their life-saving qualities. https://www.paho.org/en/news/18- 11-2015-antibiotics-should-be-handled-care-preserve-their-life-saving-qualities

World Health Organization. (2000). Guidelines for the regulatory assessment of medicinal products for use in self-medication (WHO/EDM/QSM/00.1). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/66154/WHO_EDM_QSM_00.1_en g.pdf

World Health Organization. (2023, November 21). Antimicrobial resistance. Retrieved February 3, 2026, from https://www.who.int/news-room/factsheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance

Cover Image
Downloads
Published
2026-02-03
Issue
Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026): January-February
Section
Artículos de Investigación
License
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Between immediate relief and perceived risk: meanings and decisions in selfmedication. A qualitative study. (2026). International Academic Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (RAIIM), 1(1), 01-17. https://revista-aiim.com/index.php/inicio/article/view/2

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.