Awareness among patients taking oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as analgesics: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the most used drugs for pain management, are among the most commonly prescribed drugs both in the world and in Turkey. NSAIDs have a serious side effect profile, and their inappropriate use can result in adverse outcomes, including mortality. This study aimed to determine awareness among patients who presented to a family medicine outpatient clinic who used oral NSAIDs for pain relief. Material and Method: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study. The universe of the study consisted of patients aged ≥18 years who presented to the Ankara City Hospital Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic at the end of 2019 for any reason who used at least one type of oral NSAID for pain relief. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researchers. Awareness was measured via a survey concerning knowledge and attitude, and knowledge and attitude scores were calculated for each participant. Significance was determined at a p