Pandemia da COVID-19 e seu impacto na saúde: A influência dos meios de comunicação e o uso indevido de medicamentos não prescritos.
Carregando...
Data
2021-11-21
Autores
Bottós, Aretuza Marques [UNESP]
Título da Revista
ISSN da Revista
Título de Volume
Editor
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Resumo
A pandemia da COVID-19 ocasionada pelo novo coronavírus (SARS-CoV-2) revelou-se como um grave problema de saúde pública em escala mundial. Esta crise sanitária gerou alterações significativas no comportamento e na saúde da população, que sustentada no medo e no insuficiente conhecimento científico sobre a questão, adotou condutas não saudáveis, como o uso de medicamentos não prescritos. A divulgação massiva pelos meios de comunicação de informações errôneas referentes ao coronavírus intensificou a instabilidade dos sistemas de saúde. Pacientes com alguma enfermidade, tornaram-se ainda mais vulneráveis a tais hábitos, tendo em vista suas condições de saúde. Dessa forma, mostra-se de grande importância a investigação da influência dos meios externos e dos fatores associados a automedicação frente ao alto impacto da doença. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi dimensionar a prevalência da prática da automedicação na população adulta hipertensa e diabética, bem como, investigar possíveis associações entre divulgação de informações falaciosas em mídias sociais e o uso de medicamentos sem prescrição médica. Trata-se de um estudo epidemiológico transversal, quantitativo, realizado na atenção primária à saúde de um município de porte médio do interior do estado de São Paulo e desenvolvido no período entre março e dezembro de 2020, durante o isolamento social como consequência a pandemia da COVID-19. Como instrumento de pesquisa, foi utilizado um questionário estruturado e dimensionado em blocos temáticos, aplicado via telefone. A fim de averiguar a prática da automedicação e a influência dos meios de comunicação no tratamento e prevenção da COVID-19, com o auxílio do Software Epi.Info 7.2, foi realizado o teste Qui-Quadrado, analisando a associação entre variáveis independentes, que tiveram p-valor <0,050, na análise bivariada com as variáveis dependentes, uso de medicamento preventivo e obtenção de informações por meio de mídias sociais. As variáveis categóricas foram representadas por frequências relativas e percentuais. Dos 363 participantes, 76,58% possuíam hipertensão, 1,10% diabetes tipo 1, 4,68% diabetes tipo 2 e 17,63% possuíam ambas enfermidades. A média de idade observada foi de 62,49 anos e 44,08% possuíam ensino fundamental incompleto. Sobre a COVID-19, 73,83% informaram ter tomado medicação para prevenção, dos quais 232 (86,56%) obtiveram tais medicamentos sem a prescrição médica, estabelecendo associação ao nível de escolaridade e idade (p= <0.0001). Quando questionados sobre por qual meio receberam mais informações sobre a doença, 29% citaram TV, 24% mídias sociais e 18% rádio. Em relação à por onde prefeririam receber essas informações, 8% citaram enfermeiros, 16% dentistas, 19% médicos e 19% posto de saúde. Observou-se significância estatística entre influência das mídias sociais e escolaridade (p=0,0066), tratamento específico (p=0,0001) e cura específica (p=0,0001). Concluiu-se que mais da metade dos pacientes pertencentes ao grupo de risco (hipertensão e diabetes) e assistidos pela atenção primaria à saúde fez uso de medicamentos sem prescrição, demonstrando uma maior vulnerabilidade ao se tratar de idade e nível de conhecimento. Os resultados sugerem também que as mídias sociais influenciaram diretamente no comportamento da população, principalmente nas que possuem um menor nível de escolaridade, podendo interferir em questões sérias, como a saúde.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has revealed itself as a serious public health problem on a worldwide scale. This health crisis generated significant changes in the behavior and health of the population, which, supported by fear and insufficient scientific knowledge on the issue, adopted unhealthy behaviors, such as the use of non-prescription drugs. The massive dissemination by the media of erroneous information regarding the coronavirus intensified the instability of health systems. Patients with some disease became even more vulnerable to these habits, due to their health status. Thus, it is of great importance to investigate the influence of external means and factors associated with self-medication in view of the high impact of the disease. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of self-medication in the adult population of hypertensive and diabetic patients, as well as to investigate possible associations between the disclosure of fallacious information on social networks and the use of over-the-counter medications. This is a cross-sectional, quantitative epidemiological study carried out in primary health care in a medium-sized city in the interior of the state of São Paulo and developed between March and December 2020, during social isolation as a consequence of the pandemic of COVID-19. As a research instrument, a structured questionnaire was used, sized in thematic blocks, applied by telephone. In order to investigate the practice of self-medication and the influence of the media in the treatment and prevention of COVID-19, with the aid of the Epi.Info 7.2 Software, the Chi-Square test was performed, analyzing the association between independent variables, which had p-value <0.050, in the bivariate analysis with the dependent variables, use of preventive medication and obtaining information through social media. Categorical variables were represented by relative frequencies and percentages. Of the 363 participants, 76.58% had hypertension, 1.10% type 1 diabetes, 4.68% type 2 diabetes and 17.63% had both pathologies. The average age observed was 62.49 years and 44.08% had not completed elementary school. Regarding COVID-19, 73.83% reported having taken medication for prevention, of which 232 (86.56%) obtained such medication without a medical prescription, establishing an association with level of education and age (p=<0.0001). When asked about which means they received more information about the disease, 29% mentioned TV, 24% social media and 18% radio. Regarding where they would prefer to receive this information, 8% mentioned nurses, 16% dentists, 19% doctors and 19% health post. Statistical significance was observed between the influence of social media and education (p=0.0066), specific treatment (p=0.0001) and specific cure (p=0.0001). It was concluded that more than half of the patients belonging to the risk group (hypertension and diabetes) and assisted by primary health care used over-the-counter medications, demonstrating a greater vulnerability in terms of age and level of knowledge. The results also suggest that social media directly influence the behavior of the population, especially those with a lower level of education, and may interfere with serious issues such as health.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has revealed itself as a serious public health problem on a worldwide scale. This health crisis generated significant changes in the behavior and health of the population, which, supported by fear and insufficient scientific knowledge on the issue, adopted unhealthy behaviors, such as the use of non-prescription drugs. The massive dissemination by the media of erroneous information regarding the coronavirus intensified the instability of health systems. Patients with some disease became even more vulnerable to these habits, due to their health status. Thus, it is of great importance to investigate the influence of external means and factors associated with self-medication in view of the high impact of the disease. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of self-medication in the adult population of hypertensive and diabetic patients, as well as to investigate possible associations between the disclosure of fallacious information on social networks and the use of over-the-counter medications. This is a cross-sectional, quantitative epidemiological study carried out in primary health care in a medium-sized city in the interior of the state of São Paulo and developed between March and December 2020, during social isolation as a consequence of the pandemic of COVID-19. As a research instrument, a structured questionnaire was used, sized in thematic blocks, applied by telephone. In order to investigate the practice of self-medication and the influence of the media in the treatment and prevention of COVID-19, with the aid of the Epi.Info 7.2 Software, the Chi-Square test was performed, analyzing the association between independent variables, which had p-value <0.050, in the bivariate analysis with the dependent variables, use of preventive medication and obtaining information through social media. Categorical variables were represented by relative frequencies and percentages. Of the 363 participants, 76.58% had hypertension, 1.10% type 1 diabetes, 4.68% type 2 diabetes and 17.63% had both pathologies. The average age observed was 62.49 years and 44.08% had not completed elementary school. Regarding COVID-19, 73.83% reported having taken medication for prevention, of which 232 (86.56%) obtained such medication without a medical prescription, establishing an association with level of education and age (p=<0.0001). When asked about which means they received more information about the disease, 29% mentioned TV, 24% social media and 18% radio. Regarding where they would prefer to receive this information, 8% mentioned nurses, 16% dentists, 19% doctors and 19% health post. Statistical significance was observed between the influence of social media and education (p=0.0066), specific treatment (p=0.0001) and specific cure (p=0.0001). It was concluded that more than half of the patients belonging to the risk group (hypertension and diabetes) and assisted by primary health care used over-the-counter medications, demonstrating a greater vulnerability in terms of age and level of knowledge. The results also suggest that social media directly influence the behavior of the population, especially those with a lower level of education, and may interfere with serious issues such as health.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Covid-19, Coronavirus, Pandemias, Automedicação, Saúde Pública, Mídias Sociais, Public health