RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to identify practices of self-medication in the treatment of ocular emergencies. We examine patients' use of both homemade preparations and manufactured products before seeking specialized care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analytic survey of consecutive patients seen in the ophthalmology emergency room of a teaching hospital. RESULTS: The sample included 561 subjects, 51.3% males and 48.7% females, with a mean age of 39.8 years. Prior to seeking emergency care, 40.5% reported self-medicating; 29.4% used a homemade preparation (13.9% referred to an industrialized product like boric acid as a homemade preparation), and 11.1% used a manufactured product. The most frequently used products included a boric acid solution (53.3%), a normal saline solution (35.7%), herbal infusions (6.1%) and breast milk (4.8%). Viral conjunctivitis was the most frequent diagnosis (24.4%), followed by the presence of a corneal foreign body (7.4%). No significant differences were found in the self-treatment of ocular injuries according to gender (p = 0.95), level of education (p = 0.21) or age (p = 0.14). In addition, self-medication practices were not related to the medically judged severity of the condition. CONCLUSION: Patients often attempt to treat conditions that require ophthalmologic emergency care by self-medicating with homemade or manufactured products. The most widely used products include boric acid, normal saline, leaf infusions and breast milk. This behavior occurs independently of educational level, gender, age or the nature of the ocular condition. Self-medication is a culturally driven practice that is used even in cases of acute ocular injuries.
Asunto(s)
Conjuntivitis Viral/tratamiento farmacológico , Cuerpos Extraños en el Ojo/tratamiento farmacológico , Automedicación , Adolescente , Adulto , Ácidos Bóricos/uso terapéutico , Brasil/epidemiología , Niño , Preescolar , Conjuntivitis Viral/epidemiología , Estudios Transversales , Servicio de Urgencia en Hospital , Cuerpos Extraños en el Ojo/epidemiología , Femenino , Atención Domiciliaria de Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Leche Humana , Medicamentos sin Prescripción/clasificación , Medicamentos sin Prescripción/uso terapéutico , Oftalmología , Extractos Vegetales/uso terapéutico , Automedicación/clasificación , Automedicación/estadística & datos numéricos , Cloruro de Sodio/uso terapéutico , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to identify practices of self-medication in the treatment of ocular emergencies. We examine patients' use of both homemade preparations and manufactured products before seeking specialized care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analytic survey of consecutive patients seen in the ophthalmology emergency room of a teaching hospital. RESULTS: The sample included 561 subjects, 51.3 percent males and 48.7 percent females, with a mean age of 39.8 years. Prior to seeking emergency care, 40.5 percent reported self-medicating; 29.4 percent used a homemade preparation (13.9 percent referred to an industrialized product like boric acid as a homemade preparation), and 11.1 percent used a manufactured product. The most frequently used products included a boric acid solution (53.3 percent), a normal saline solution (35.7 percent), herbal infusions (6.1 percent) and breast milk (4.8 percent). Viral conjunctivitis was the most frequent diagnosis (24.4 percent), followed by the presence of a corneal foreign body (7.4 percent). No significant differences were found in the self-treatment of ocular injuries according to gender (p = 0.95), level of education (p = 0.21) or age (p = 0.14). In addition, self-medication practices were not related to the medically judged severity of the condition. CONCLUSION: Patients often attempt to treat conditions that require ophthalmologic emergency care by self-medicating with homemade or manufactured products. The most widely used products include boric acid, normal saline, leaf infusions and breast milk. This behavior occurs independently of educational level, gender, age or the nature of the ocular condition. Self-medication is a culturally driven practice that is used even in cases of acute ocular injuries.
Asunto(s)
Adolescente , Adulto , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto Joven , Conjuntivitis Viral/tratamiento farmacológico , Cuerpos Extraños en el Ojo/tratamiento farmacológico , Automedicación , Ácidos Bóricos/uso terapéutico , Brasil/epidemiología , Estudios Transversales , Conjuntivitis Viral/epidemiología , Servicio de Urgencia en Hospital , Cuerpos Extraños en el Ojo/epidemiología , Atención Domiciliaria de Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Leche Humana , Medicamentos sin Prescripción/clasificación , Medicamentos sin Prescripción/uso terapéutico , Oftalmología , Extractos Vegetales/uso terapéutico , Automedicación/clasificación , Automedicación/estadística & datos numéricos , Cloruro de Sodio/uso terapéutico , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Corpos estranhos intra-oculares säo uma forma muito grave de trauma a despeito de bom tratamento cirúrgico. Noventa e seis casos observados nos últimos 10 anos säo estudados. É dado ênfase na prevençäo