Keywords
Elderly
Medications
Health literacy
Polypharmacy
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Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the self-medication profile in elderly individuals, identifying drugs used, motivations, and risks of this practice. Methods: Cross-sectional quantitative-descriptive study with 218 elderly individuals from the Elderly House in Imperatriz/MA, in 2025, using a questionnaire with 18 questions. Results: The prevalence of self-medication was 59.4%, predominantly in women (71.7%) with low education (55.7%). Main reasons were high consultation costs (43.4%) and previous experience with medications (31.1%). Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs were most used (31.1%). Risk behaviors included medication sharing (51.1%) and inadequate storage (68.9%). 87.2% of elderly who reported adverse effects did not seek medical help. Conclusion: Results show high prevalence of self-medication driven by economic factors and low health literacy. Lack of action after adverse effects reveals inadequate risk perception. It is concluded that multifaceted interventions are necessary to promote rational drug use and improve access to health services, mitigating risks and promoting safe aging.
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