Medical Student Syndrome and Self-Medication among Medical Students at Zagazig University, Egypt | ||||
| The Egyptian Journal of Community Medicine | ||||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 01 July 2025 | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejcm.2025.375278.1386 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
Aya M Abd elhamid  1; Aya M Fathi2; azza soliman soliman3; amany IA soliman4
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| 1family medicine , faculty of medicine, zagazig university | ||||
| 2Public Health and Environmental Medicine , Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University | ||||
| 3Public Health and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of medicine, Zagazig University | ||||
| 4family medicine ,faculty of medicine, zagazig university | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background: Medical student syndrome (MSS), which is the idea held by students that they might have the illness being studied, and self-medication are closely related concepts often affecting medical students as they become more familiar with diseases and medications. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and risk factors of medical student syndrome and to identify the prevalence of self-medication practices among students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2024 and March 2025 at Zagazig University. It targeted medical students during their last three academic years. A structured questionnaire was used. It was composed of three sections: sociodemographic data, medical student syndrome and self-medication practices. Results: A total of 334 students were included. The mean age was 22.4 ±2.2 years and 57.8% were females. MSS affected 78% of the students. Among those who experienced MSS, only 9.6% found the symptoms severe enough to consult a doctor, whereas 74.7% chose to ignore them. Additionally, 30.7% reported using medication without medical consultation to manage these symptoms. The primary risk factors associated with MSS among students included gender and the use of psychiatric sleep medications. Regarding self-medication, 97.9% of students reported practicing it within the past six months. The main causes cited for self-medication were saving time (50%) and managing non-acute conditions (61.7%). Conclusion: The study findings showed that MSS and self-medication are prevalent among medical students at Zagazig University, Egypt. The findings underscore the need for intervention programs focusing on awareness of the problem along with psychological support. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Medical student; self-treatment; cross sectional | ||||
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