Self-medication impacts both negatively and positively the health of people, which has become evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of self-medicated drugs used for respiratory symptoms, as COVID-19 preventive, for its symptoms or once tested positive. To determine the perception of symptom relief and demographic variables that promote self-medication in Peru. We performed a cross-sectional, analytical, multicenter study in 3792 study respondents on the use, the reason for use, and perception of relief after the use of six drugs during the quarantine period. An online questionnaire was developed, pretested and submitted to the general public. Multivariable logistic regression was used to ascertain factors that influence an individual’s desire to self-medicate, associations were considered significant at p < 0.05 and using region (coast, mountain and jungle) as cluster group. The majority of respondents self-medicated with acetaminophen for respiratory symptoms and mainly because they had a cold or flu. It was observed that all the surveyed drugs (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, azithromycin, penicillin, antiretrovirals and hydroxychloroquine) were consumed for various symptoms including: fever, fatigue, cough, sneezing, muscle pain, nasal congestion, sore throat, headache and breathing difficulty. Over 90% of respondents perceived relief of at least one symptom. Multivariable logistic regression showed that older people have a higher frequency of antiretroviral self-medication, respondents who currently have a job had a higher frequency of penicillin self-medication, and that respondents from the Andes consumed less acetaminophen, while the ones from the rainforest consumed it more. There were significant percentages of self-medication, including drugs without sufficient scientific evidence. Age, region where one lived and job status were variables associated with self-medication frequency. Continuous awareness and sensitization about the risks of self-medication are warranted.

自我用药会对人们的健康产生负面和正面影响，这在COVID-19大流行期间已变得显而易见。这项研究旨在评估用于呼吸道症状的自用药物（作为COVID-19预防剂），其症状或经测试呈阳性的患病率。确定症状缓解的感觉和促进秘鲁自我用药的人口统计学变量。我们在3792名接受调查的受访者中进行了横断面，分析性，多中心研究，分析了隔离期间使用六种药物后的使用，使用原因和缓解感。开发了在线问卷，对其进行了预先测试并提交给了公众。多变量logistic回归用于确定影响个人自我用药愿望的因素，关联被认为在p <0.05且使用区域（海岸，山区和丛林）作为聚类组时具有显着性。大多数受访者因呼吸道症状而自行服用对乙酰氨基酚，主要是因为他们患有感冒或流感。据观察，所有被调查的药物（对乙酰氨基酚，布洛芬，阿奇霉素，青霉素，抗逆转录病毒药物和羟氯喹）均因各种症状而被消耗，包括：发烧，疲劳，咳嗽，打喷嚏，肌肉疼痛，鼻塞，咽喉痛，头痛和呼吸困难。超过90％的受访者认为至少一种症状有所缓解。多变量logistic回归显示，老年人使用抗逆转录病毒药物的频率较高，目前从事工作的受访者使用青霉素的频率较高，来自安第斯山脉的受访者对乙酰氨基酚的消耗较少，而来自热带雨林的受访者则消耗更多的对乙酰氨基酚。自我药物治疗的百分比很高，包括没有足够科学证据的药物。年龄，一个人居住的地区和工作状况是与自我服药频率相关的变量。有必要对自我用药的风险持续保持警觉和敏感。