The pattern of medication use amongst a migrant population residing in southern iran: A population-based study

Abstract

Background: Iran has welcomed a large population of immigrants and refugees, which has led to new demands and priorities in many aspects of life, such as healthcare services. Objectives: For the first time in Southern Iran, in Shiraz City, population-based research was conducted on the patterns of medication use in native non-Iranian residents. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted amongst Shiraz citizens from 2017 to 2018. The population consisted of 43 migrants. Data were collected using a multipart data form. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. Results: A total of 43 Afghan migrants were included in the study. Most of them were female (72.1), aged under 40 years (67.4), and homemaker (62.8) with an education level of non-completed high school diploma (97.7). The majority of the subjects did not have insurance or family physician coverage (93), and 85.7 got medications without prescription. The three most common medications used by the subjects were iron supplements, acetaminophen, and cold medicines. Conclusions: Iran is now hosting Afghan nationals as one of the largest population of refugees in the world. The health conditions of the Afghan population need more attention in order to improve the health status of their community in Iran. © 2020, Author(s).