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Abstract

Medication-based self-management of pain is common among university students, especially medical students exposed to stress, sleep disruption, and easy access to over-the-counter drugs. While appropriate for minor conditions, unsupervised analgesic use may lead to toxicity, delayed diagnosis, and irrational drug use. This study assessed the prevalence, determinants, and safety practices of analgesic self-medication among medical students in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 440 students using a structured questionnaire covering demographics, pain experiences, medication patterns, and safety behaviors. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were applied. Of the participants, 88.0% experienced pain in the past six months, and 75.9% reported self-medicating with analgesics. Headache (71.6%), musculoskeletal pain (38.0%), and menstrual pain (31.4%) were the most common reasons. Paracetamol (77.8%) and ibuprofen (61.4%) were the most frequently used drugs. Key reasons for self-medication included convenience, perceived mild symptoms, and prior successful use. Significant predictors included senior academic level (OR 1.92, p=0.002) and previous positive experience with the medication (OR 2.31, p<0.001). Some students reported dose escalation and combining multiple analgesics. Analgesic self-medication was highly prevalent in this medical student sample. Although many participants appeared familiar with common pain medicines, important safety gaps persisted. Undergraduate educational interventions should move beyond general awareness and focus on practical medicine-safety competencies, including label reading, dose limits, contraindications, and thresholds for seeking formal medical care‎.

Keywords: Self-medication, Analgesics, Medical students, Pain management, Over-the-counter medicines, Medication safety

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