Automedicación y términos relacionados: una reflexión conceptual

Introduction: self-medication has become a growing practice in the world population. This phenomenon has been promoted as a form ofself-care, with a positive impact on reducing spending in healthsystems, however there is concern about the potential negativeeffects related to inadequate diagnosis and treatment, which can affect health of individuals. This dual perception of the phenomenonis partly related to a variety of terms and concepts used, that makedifficult its theoretical and empirical approach. Harmonization ofthe definitions involved is required in order to make adequateepidemiological comparisons. Objectives: analyze the concept of self medication and related terms from the definitions in the literatureof the subject. Conclusions: in the last four decades it has been anevolution of both the wording and the definitions related to self-medication, from a very simple concept that implies the absence of prescription, to more complex ones that encompass very diversebehaviors, even those mediated by an act of prescription but not followed or not completed by the patient. Additionally the conceptual proliferation seen, justify the ordering of the terms related to self-medication. This paper presents a proposal for classification in four groups: a. self-medication, b. self care, c. pharmaceutical preparations and medicines, and d. prescription. This proposal shouldfacilitate the exploration and analysis of the phenomenon and allow future theoretical approaches.