Medicine Inventories and Practices of Self-Medication in Households of Medical and Pharmacy Students at the University of Rijeka, Croatia: A Cross-Sectional Study with Implications for Healthcare Professions Education

Background/Objectives: Self-medication and keeping medicine inventory in households are common practices, even among healthcare professionals and healthcare professions students. Despite their knowledge of appropriate medicine use and storage, these practices are not always responsible and may pose health risks. This study aimed to describe self-medication practices, contents of home pharmacies, and habits of keeping medicine inventories in households of medical and pharmacy students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka. Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted in 2025, 60 third-year medical and pharmacy students interviewed members of their households regarding contents of home pharmacies and self-medication practices and compiled inventories of medicines kept at home. Results: Of the participating students, 70.0% were female. Healthcare professionals (physicians or pharmacists) were present in 23.3% of households. Medicines were stored in a designated location (“home pharmacy”) in 65.0% of households, whereas only one household reported having no medicines. Expired medicines and/or medicines with an unknown purpose were found in 41.6% of households. No household reported that medicines were accessible to children younger than 14 years. Inventories of stored medicines were obtained from 54 households (90.0%). Analgesics and antipyretics were present in 92.6% of households and were used for self-medication in 96.0% of them. Cough and cold preparations were found in 35.2% of households and used for self-medication in 94.7%. Antibiotics were present in 31.5% of households and used for self-medication in 52.9%, while anxiolytics were found in 16.7% of households and used for self-medication in 33.3%. Conclusions: Stocking medicine supplies and practicing self-medication are common among households of third-year medical and pharmacy students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka. Analgesics and antipyretics were the most frequently stored medicines used for self-medication. The presence of expired medicines and the self-medication of prescription-only medicines highlight the need for greater emphasis on responsible self-medication, safe medicine storage, and rational medicine use within healthcare professions education.