ArticleBMC health services research2025
Self-medication among operating room personnel during healthcare crises: a mixed-methods study of prevalence, predictors, and lived experiences.
Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundSelf-medication among healthcare workers poses serious risks to both personal health and patient safety. Operating room (OR) personnel, exposed to high-acuity care, irregular shifts, and systemic pressures, may be particularly vulnerable, yet comprehensive studies in this population remain limited.
methodsThis explanatory sequential mixed-methods study investigated self-medication among OR personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the quantitative phase, 400 participants completed a validated 15-item questionnaire on self-medication behaviors, individual factors, and organizational/environmental determinants. In the qualitative phase, 20 semi-structured interviews were thematically analyzed. Integration was achieved through narrative weaving and a joint display.
resultsSelf-medication prevalence was 65%. Quantitative analysis identified psychological stress (β = 0.35, p < 0.001) and workplace pressures (β = 0.30, p < 0.001) as the strongest predictors, with poor healthcare access and prior experience also contributing. Surgical technologists reported higher rates than nursing aides (p < 0.05). Qualitative analysis revealed four themes: psychological strain, self-medication as coping, workplace pressures, and emotional consequences. Integration showed a reinforcing cycle in which stress and systemic barriers promoted self-medication, which in turn generated further emotional burden.
conclusionsSelf-medication among OR personnel during crises is prevalent and shaped by intertwined psychological and systemic factors. Interventions should address immediate stressors at the hospital level while implementing health-system policies that reduce structural barriers, to safeguard both healthcare providers and patient safety. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
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