Far west medicines, one in 4 uses them without consulting the doctor

According to a Demoskopea survey, they account for 23.4% of Italians, but among young people the percentage rises to 27%. The most abused categories are painkillers, antibiotics and antihistamines. The mockery? The 24% does not feel guilty and the 14.4% has no doubt that he did well

 20/10/2014 | by Simone Cosimi | VANITY FAIR.it

An authentic jungle. Laziness, arrogance, superiority, boredom. Maybe. The fact is that one out of four Italians takes prescription drugs, not caring about the doctor. Indeed, often without even consulting him. He tells it a survey by Dottori.it carried out by Demoskopea on a sample of Italians between 18 and 65 years old.

Over all, understandably enough, the category of painkillers stands out, indicated by 55.1% of the interviewees. These are followed by heavy antibiotics (37%), antihistamines (28.8%) and antipyretics (20.3%). In all these cases, allergies, sensitivity to active ingredients and, in the case of antibiotics, considerable damage can be encountered. As the Italian Medicines Agency and every doctor reiterates, they must strictly be used after consultation. Reality? In the 45-54 age group, 42.9% of those interviewed peacefully admit that they have used them independently.

No way, then: the Italians don't seem to hear us and the doctor often appears as a pleonastic presence. In fact, 5,9% declared that he had even taken psychiatric drugs in the last year without any discussion with the psychiatrist. A figure that jumps to a worrying 10% in the 25-34 age group. And it also opens up different perspectives on other fronts and different pathologies.

It is not enough. The point is that the majority of those who behaved in this way (34.7% in the sample) do not consider themselves imprudent: those responsible, i.e. those who acknowledge taking longer than their leg, are just 29.7% of the total . Things are a little better in the group of graduates (34%) and among young people up to 24 years of age (37.5%, even if they are the ones who fly over the most). Finally, the 14.4% of the champion has no doubts about his choices.

"As part of the survey carried out for Dottori.it - commented Stefano Carlin, CEO of Demoskopea - we were able to underline how a more casual use of drugs and self-medication emerges among the youngest: among the under 24s the percentage of use medicines without consulting a specialist exceeds 27%. Adults and the elderly are more attentive, perhaps due to a more deeply rooted habit of consulting a doctor: self-medication with prescription drugs among the over 55s drops to 18%". Grandmothers go to the doctor, mothers a little less, children don't think about it at all.