Reasons for use and analysis of non-prescription medicine-taking behaviour of adolescents of high schools in the Czech Republic

Charles University in Prague Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy Candidate: Martin Míča Supervisor: Prof. RNDr. Jiří Vlček, CSc. Title of diploma thesis: Reasons for use and analysis of non-prescription medicine-taking behaviour of adolescents of high schools in the Czech Republic Objective: The objective is to analyse reasons and range of using drugs by students in high schools in the Czech Republic, to determine their experience with drugs related problems, to determine their knowledge about effects and risks of OTC drugs, and the source of information about drugs, which students use. Methodology: This cross - sectional study was conducted in three high schools in Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic. It was run from April to June 2010. 500 students aged 14 - 21 years participated. A questionnaire was distributed and completed during a class period. Results: Results concern only students, who really answered the question. 19 % of them use drugs for long - term illness. The most frequent illness was allergy. The use of drugs during the last 6 months was reported by 81 % of the students. 26 % used prescription drugs, 31 % used OTC, 39 % both of them. Most of students (63 %) take drugs once a month. 30 % of students remembered that they experienced any..