The year started with reports of people scrambling to buy medicines in stores in many parts of the country but going home empty-handed after stocks ran out. This was due to a surge in seasonal illnesses as well as a fresh spike in COVID-19 cases.
The latest PhilCare Wellness Index 2021 showed that self-medication remained prevalent among Filipinos. Only 7.4% of the study’s 1,500 respondents claimed they do not self-medicate.
The findings are worrying for industries and companies as these are for health workers, with the majority of the respondents employees who mostly work for private firms.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines self-medication as the use of drugs “to treat self-diagnosed disorders or symptoms, or the intermittent or continued use of a prescribed drug for chronic or recurrent diseases or symptoms.”
Scientists and medical professionals do not approve of the practice as it can cause greater health risks among those who self-medicate, including the use of improper medicines to treat their illness. Experts also warn of missed diagnosis, inappropriate treatment, or delay in proper treatment that may cause resistance to antibiotics and increased morbidity.
Industries and companies should consider the insight from the PhilCare Wellness Index that having access to health services is not an assurance that their employees would address their health concerns in the proper manner.
Many Filipinos still rely on advertisements, previous medical prescriptions, and the opinions of their relatives, families, and friends as basis for their self-diagnosis and self-medication. Open access to health information over the internet also adds to the confidence of Filipinos to self-medicate.
During the pandemic, despite access to online or over-the-phone consultations, respondents “somewhat agreed” that they prefer to consult a pharmacist in the drugstore because they are “afraid of what the medical professional would discover during consultation.” Majority said they would rather do online research rather than online consultation.
The findings of the PhilCare Wellness Index indicate that prevalent cultures and beliefs surrounding healthcare should also be addressed not only by the health sector, but other affected sectors in general. Companies’ investment in their workers’ health and wellness would not be maximized if their employees would still subscribe to improper health practices such as self-medication.
