{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,28]],"date-time":"2026-10-28T22:13:27Z","timestamp":1793225607808,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,14]],"date-time":"2025-07-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1752451200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100004242","name":"Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PNURSP2025R91"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PNURSP2025R91"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100004242","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Pharmacol."],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Misuse of weight-loss medicines, particularly those obtained via the internet and social media, raises critical concerns regarding patient safety, compliance, and risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs).<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n To evaluate patterns of weight-loss medication acquisition, the influence of social media on drug use behaviors, the role of pharmacist recommendations, and the key predictors of self-medication and adherence.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n A cross-sectional survey was utilized to assess sources of procurement of weight loss drugs, impact of social media on drug use, and sufficiency of pharmacist counseling on safety and drug compliance.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n The study revealed that 53% of participants reported using weight-loss medications without consulting a physician. Among them, 32% acquired the medications directly from a pharmacy without prescription and 15% online through social media platforms. A significant majority (68%) indicated being strongly influenced by social media, with Instagram (45%) and TikTok (30%) being the most cited platforms. Pharmacist consultation was associated with improved adherence (50% vs. 25%,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.0001) and enhanced awareness of drug safety (55% vs. 30%,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.0004). Logistic regression revealed that self-medication was significantly predicted by younger age (18\u201330 years, OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.3\u20133.4,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.002), frequent social media use (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1\u20132.9,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.01), limited access to healthcare services (OR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.4\u20134.4,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.001), and prior unsuccessful weight loss attempts (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2\u20133.1,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.005). In contrast, medication adherence was positively associated with pharmacist recommendations (OR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.45\u20133.76, p-value &lt;0.001), younger age (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1\u20132.9,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.004), better access to healthcare (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.6\u20134.7, p-value &lt;0.001), low social media dependence (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.3\u20133.6,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.002) and previous medication adherence experience (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1\u20132.8,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n = 0.012).\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n Findings highlight a growing trend of social media-driven decisions regarding weight-loss medication use and the associated risks of unregulated online-purchases. Pharmacists play a crucial role in mitigating adverse outcomes by promoting drug safety and adherence. Policy efforts should focus on enhancing regulations of over-the-counter online sales, strengthening pharmacist-led patient education, and combating misinformation through evidence-based public health communication.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2025.1606566","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,14]],"date-time":"2025-07-14T10:57:52Z","timestamp":1752490672000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Patterns and predictors of self-medication behavior of weight loss medications: a cross-sectional analysis of social media influence and role of pharmacist intervention"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Neven","family":"Sarhan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mona F.","family":"Schaalan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Azza A. 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