Frequency and Awareness of Lifestyle Medication Use among University Students in Kut City, Iraq

Frequency and Awareness of consuming Lifestyle Medications

Abstract

Background: Lifestyle medicines (LSMs) are used to help people alter their lifestyles. These medicines are used for purposes other than medicine or health. Aims & Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of LSM use among the students of the university, the rationale for their utilization, and the kinds of consequences, in order to give useful data for reasoning and prevention of this problem. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive research study was carried out. university students in Wasit, Iraq, by using a self-administered questionnaire. Participants were usefully recruited through online platforms. The questionnaire consist of four sections, including sociodemographic profile, knowledge, and awareness in a validated questionnaire format. Results: A total of 500 students aged between 18-25 and more were surveyed. The number who utilize LSMs was 470(94%). The most common agents utilized by a high number of students were vitamins 136(28.94%) followed by Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 41(8.72%), then caffeine-containing substances 38(8.09% ). The most frequent adverse effects related to use of LSMs were lethargy and fatigue and 68 (14.47%), and insomnia 41(8.72%). Conclusion: Awareness of Lifestyle Medications (LSMs) was moderate, with medical advice being the primary source of information. The study found a high prevalence of LSM use, with vitamins being the most commonly used. Adverse effects varied among users, with fatigue and the lethargy being the most reported. Despite diverse perceptions toward LSMs, a significant differences in awareness were noted based on gender and study field, highlighting the need for targeted education and intervention strategies.