Keywords
Self-medication
Skin diseases
Use of medications
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction. In patients with acne vulgaris, self-medication may be a common practice with potential complications. The objective of this study was to identify the frequency of self-medication and its associated factors among patients with acne attending a private clinic in San Pedro Sula, during the period May-August 2025. Methods. Quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional study with association analysis. A consecutive sample of 90 patients meeting the selection criteria was included. Data were collected using a self-designed instrument. Results. The 66.7% of participants were women and 33.3% were men. Most were aged 18–29 years (57.8%), followed by adults ≥30 years (22.2%) and adolescents aged 12–17 years (20%). The frequency of self-medication was 71.1%. The most commonly used products were topical retinoids (28%), oral antibiotics (23%), and commercial products (17%). Social media was the main source of information (44%). Self-medication was associated with a perceived moderate to severe acne (PR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.02–2.03) and barriers to accessing dermatological care (PR: 3.13; 95% CI: 1.65–5.91). Conclusion. Self-medication among patients with acne is highly prevalent and is related to perceived moderate to severe disease severity, as well as limitations in accessing specialized dermatological care.
References
Alduraibi, R. K., & Altowayan, W. M. (2022). A cross-sectional survey: knowledge, attitudes, and practices of self-medication in medical and pharmacy students. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-07704-0
Alonso-Castro, A. J., Ruiz-Noa, Y., Martínez-de la Cruz, G. C., Ramírez-Morales, M. A., Deveze-Álvarez, M. A., Escutia-Gutiérrez, R., Carranza-Álvarez, C., Domínguez, F., Maldonado-Miranda, J. J., & Ruiz-Padilla, A. J. (2022). Factors and Practices Associated with Self-Medicating Children among Mexican Parents. Pharmaceuticals, 15(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ph15091078
Anaba, E. L., Cole-Adeife, M. O., & Oaku, R. I. (2021). Prevalence, pattern, source of drug information, and reasons for self-medication among dermatology patients. Dermatologic Therapy, 34(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/dth.14756
Barbieri, J. S., Shin, D. B., Wang, S., Margolis, D. J., & Takeshita, J. (2020). The clinical utility of laboratory monitoring during isotretinoin therapy for acne and changes to monitoring practices over time. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 82(1), 72–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2019.06.025
Butar, A. U. A. B., Paramita, D. A., Amelia, P., & Panggabean, Y. C. (2025). The Influence of Social Media on Self-Medication and Treatment of Acne Vulgaris. Berkala Ilmu Kesehatan Kulit Dan Kelamin, 37(1), 48–52. https://doi.org/10.20473/bikk.V37.1.2025.48-52
Casados Vergara, R. F., Alfaro Sánchez, A. B., del Rodríguez Cabral, R. C., Serna Calderón, M. A., & Rubén Casados Vergara, C. F. (2023). Isotretinoína: actualidades Resumen Isotretinoin: Up to date. Dermatol Rev Mex, 5(67), 669–681. https://doi.org/10.24245/drm/bmu.v67i5.9134
Cerrato Hernández, K., Enamorado, B. C., Delgado, L. Q., Martel, B., Sierra, M., & Espinoza, I. (2016). Prevalence of skin disorders in school children in Honduras. In Med Cutan Iber Lat Am (Vol. 44, Issue 3). https://www.medigraphic.com/pdfs/cutanea/mc-2016/mc163e.pdf
Corral De Franco, Y. (2022). Validez y confiabilidad en instrumentos de investigación: una mirada teórica / Validity and reliability in research instruments: a theoretical look. Revista Ciencias de La Educación, 32. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2236-1328
Dessinioti, C., & Katsambas, A. (2022). Antibiotics and Antimicrobial Resistance in Acne: Epidemiological Trends and Clinical Practice Considerations. The Yale journal of biology and medicine, 95(4), 429–443. ID de PMC: PMC9765333
Espinoza-Turcios, E., Chinchilla-Castañeda, K., Sosa-Mendoza, C., Zambrano, L. I., Castro Ramos, H. N., Armada, J., & Mejia, C. R. (2023). Factors affecting the quality of life of acne-suffering adolescents in Honduras, Central America, and its repercussions. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.03.24.23287709
Jiménez, K. B., Jiménez, L. C., & Andrés, M. A. (2022). The impact of the antibiotic resistance on the sustainable development. Poblacion y Salud En Mesoamerica, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.15517/psm.v0i19.47590
Joshi, M., Korrapati, N. H., Reji, F., Hasan, A., & Kurudamannil, R. A. (2022). The Impact of Social Media on Skin Care: A Narrative Review. Lviv Clinical Bulletin, 1–2(37–38), 85–96. https://doi.org/10.25040/lkv2022.01-02.085
Kapała, J., Lewandowska, J., Placek, W., & Owczarczyk-Saczonek, A. (2022). Adverse Events in Isotretinoin Therapy: A Single-Arm Meta-Analysis. In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Vol. 19, Issue 11). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116463
Kłoda, K., Babicki, M., Biesiada, A., Gałązka-Sobotka, M., Kowalska-Bobko, I., & Mastalerz-Migas, A. (2024). Self-medication of adults and children in Poland - results from outpatient health care physicians online questionnaire. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2024.1413811
Lifshitz, A., Arrieta, O., Burgos, R., Campillo, C., Celis, M., de la Llata, M., Domínguez, J., Halabe, J., Islas, S., Jasso, L., Moreno, M., Plancarte, R., Reyes-Sánchez, A., Ruiz-Argüelles, G., Soda, A., Verástegui, E., & Sotelo, J. (2020). Self-medication and self-prescription. Gaceta Medica de Mexico, 156(6), 612–614. https://doi.org/10.24875/GMM.20000426
Morshed, A. S. M., Noor, T., Uddin Ahmed, M. A., Mili, F. S., Ikram, S., Rahman, M., Ahmed, S., & Uddin, M. B. (2023). Understanding the impact of acne vulgaris and associated psychological distress on self-esteem and quality of life via regression modeling with CADI, DLQI, and WHOQoL. Scientific Reports, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48182-6
Mowafy, E. A., Akl, E. M., Ibrahim, S. E., & Fouad, N. A. (2024). Etiopathogenesis of Acne Vulgaris. In Benha Journal of Applied Sciences (BJAS) (Issue 9). http://bjas.bu.edu.eg
Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2021, March 4). Crece el mapa de motivaciones para automedicarse. https://www.paho.org/es/noticias/4-3-2021-crece-mapa-motivaciones-para-automedicarse
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). https://doi.org/10.56712/latam.v4i4.1252
Reynolds, R. V., Yeung, H., Cheng, C. E., Cook-Bolden, F., Desai, S. R., Druby, K. M., Freeman, E. E., Keri, J. E., Stein Gold, L. F., Tan, J. K. L., Tollefson, M. M., Weiss, J. S., Wu, P. A., Zaenglein, A. L., Han, J. M., & Barbieri, J. S. (2024). Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 90(5), 1006.e1-1006.e30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2023.12.017
Szepietowska, M., Dąbrowska, A., Nowak, B., Skinderowicz, K., Wilczyński, B., Krajewski, P. K., & Jankowska-Konsur, A. (2022). Alexithymia in Adolescents with Acne: Association with Quality of Life Impairment and Stigmatization. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11030732
Tan, J. K. L., & Bhate, K. (2015). A global perspective on the epidemiology of acne. In British Journal of Dermatology (Vol. 172, Issue S1, pp. 3–12). https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.13462
Tosun, N., Tosun, M., D, M., & Younis, M. (2025). Internalized Stigma in Acne Vulgaris Patients and Relationship with Quality of Life, Disease Severity. Healthcare (Switzerland), 13(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13121359
Valencia, C. B., Frugone, M. A., Hernández Mutarana, M., Giglio Larraín, M., Fuentes Sánchez, N., & Portilla Sandoval, P. (2025). Evidencias del uso de Retinoides en el Tratamiento del Acné. Rev And, 2(1). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15831312
Valenzuela Ortiz, M., Sánchez Ruiz-Cabello, F. J., Uberos, J., Checa Ros, A. F., Valenzuela Ortiz, C., Augustín Morales, M. C., & Muñoz Hoyos, A. (2017). Automedicación, autoprescripción y medicación «por poderes» en pediatría. Anales de Pediatria, 86(5), 264–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anpedi.2016.06.002
Vasam, M., Korutla, S., & Bohara, R. A. (2023). Acne vulgaris: A review of the pathophysiology, treatment, and recent nanotechnology based advances. In Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports (Vol. 36). Elsevier B.V. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrep.2023.101578
Venkatesh P., K., Brito, G., Nelson, K., & Friedman, A. (2022). Barriers to Care-Seeking and Treatment Adherence Among Dermatology Patients: A Cross-Sectional National Survey Study. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 21(6). https://doi.org/doi:10.36849/JDD.6903
Yeamans, S., Gil-de-Miguel, Á., Hernández-Barrera, V., & Carrasco-Garrido, P. (2024). Self-medication among general population in the European Union: prevalence and associated factors. European Journal of Epidemiology, 39(9), 977–990. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-024-01153-1
Zaenglein, A. L., Pathy, A. L., Schlosser, B. J., Alikhan, A., Baldwin, H. E., Berson, D. S., Bowe, W. P., Graber, E. M., Harper, J. C., Kang, S., Keri, J. E., Leyden, J. J., Reynolds, R. V., Silverberg, N. B., Stein Gold, L. F., Tollefson, M. M., Weiss, J. S., Dolan, N. C., Sagan, A. A., Bhushan, R. (2016). Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 74(5), 945-973.e33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2015.12.037
Zevallos Escobar, L. E., Borja Villanueva, C. A., Vásquez Corales, É., Palacios Palacios, M. I., & Vílchez Reyes, M. A. (2022). Factores relacionados con la Automedicación en Estudiantes de Ciencias de la Salud. Revista Universidad y Sociedad, 3(14), 460–468. http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_abstract&pid=S2218-36202022000300460
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Isaac Jonathan Marriaga Hernández, Merlyn Michelle Matthews Erazo