Objective:To understand the current status and characteristics of self-medication behavior in China and to analyze the determinants of self-medication behavior and willingness of Chinese residents.Methods: A total of 4 400 households from Beijing,Xi’an,Chengdu,and Kunming were chosen by multistage,stratified,and cluster sampling for a health survey.From a total 8 826 residents we selected 8 585 who aged over 15 years old and who gave a clear answer to whether had self-medication behavior and whether were willing to have self-medication.Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between self-medication behavior and self-medication willingness,and between residents’ predisposing characteristics,enabling resources and need following Andersen health utilization model.Results: When other variables were controlled,the incidences of self-medication of residents at 25-44 years,25-44 years,45-64 years,and 65 years above were 1.52 folds (P=0.000),1.59 folds (P=0.000),and 1.53 folds (P=0.001) of the control group (15-24 years old).The incidence of self-medication of urban residents was significantly lower than that of the rural residents (P=0.000).The incidence of self-medication behavior in residents with a common disorder in the last 6 months was 10.85 folds of those without common disease.The self-medication willingness of residents with chronic diseases was 1.22 folds (P=0.035) of those without chronic diseases.The self-medication willingness of residents having a common disease in the last 6 months was 2.12 fold (P=0.000) of those without common disorder.Conclusion: Age,urban-rural difference,knowledge of self-medication,and health status have different degrees of influence on the self-medication behavior and self-medication willingness of residents,while family income and health insurance have little influence.