Author/Editor		Budihna, Metka V
Title		Samozdravljenje
Translated title		Selfmedication
Type		članek
Source		In: Mencej M, editor. Uporaba zdravil v starosti. Ljubljana: Gerontološko društvo Slovenije,
Publication year		1999
Volume		str. 65-75
Language		slo
Abstract		Self-medication means, by definition, the treatment of minor ailments by self-bought and self-paid non-prescription bound medicinese. Following the tremendous changes in theEuropean healthcare systems over the past years there has been a reevaluation of the benefits of responsible self-medication. Based on the recommendations of the World Health Ortanization and the European Commission the responsible use of non-prescription medicines is regarded as an important part of the strengthening of the individual's role in health care. The growing willingness of the population to take more responsibility for their own health together with budget restrictions for medicines has furthered this development. The share of self-medication in the total pharmaceutical market in several countries is different: in Europe, from 8% in Italy to 36% in Switzerland, and in other parts of the world, from 18% in Japan to 39% in the USA. In countries of Central and Eastern Europe this share is increasing too, the data being available only in some of them. Principal self-medication product groups in Europe represent medicines against cough and cold, analgesic, digestives and intestinal remedies, medicines for skin treatment, vitamins and mineral supplements; the share of medicines used in cardiovascular diseases is very small. The development of self-medication was earlier and easier accepted by pharmacists then by medical doctors. However, the self-medication has become a very important issue, also from the economical point of view: within the field of the reimbursed medicines it is costreducing factor of importance.(Abstract truncated at 2000 characters)
Descriptors		SELF MEDICATION SELF ADMINISTRATION HEALTH POLICY