Self-Medication: Awareness and Attitude Among Undergraduate Medical Students in A Tertiary Care Medical College, Dhule
Keywords:
self-medication, over-the-counter, non-prescription, drugs, awareness, attitudesAbstract
Background: The practice of self-medication is becoming more common worldwide and currently plays a major role in self-care. The objectives of our study were to determine the perception and level of awareness regarding over the counter over the counter (OTC) medications, among the medical students and to assess the pattern of self-medication practice.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a validated self- administered, questionnaire was used to collect data among un- dergraduate medical students from a medical college.
Results: Of the 464 respondents, 151 (32.6%) were female and 313
(67.4%) were male. Overall, 389 (84%) participants consumed OTC medications. The commonly consumed OTC drugs were supplements and vitamins followed by painkillers, flu/ cough remedies and sore throat products. The OTC medications were most frequently bought from pharmacies. Easy access, conven- ience and time saving were the most frequent reasons for self- medication. Of the study participants, 74 were on regular pre- scription medications and half of them were unsure or disagreed that OTC drugs could interfere with the regular prescription drugs.
Conclusion: Lack of awareness regarding drug interaction is an issue that warrants further intervention by increasing the knowledge so as to prevent adverse events from the drugs.
References
Figueiras A, Caamano F, Gestal-Otero J. Socio- demographic factors related to self-medication in Spain. Eur J Epidemiol. 2000;16:19–26
;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC34101 76
Okumaraj, Wakai S, Umenai T. Drug utilization and self- medication in rural communities in Vietnam. Soc Sci Med. 2002;54:1875–86; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC37603 22
Sontakke S, Bajait Cs PSJKJ, Sr., Sontakke S, Bajait Cs PSJKJ, Sr. Comparative study of evaluation of self- medication practices in first and third year medical students. International Journal of Biological and Medical Re- search. 2011;2(2):561.
Bradley CP, Riaz A, Tobias RS, Kenkre JE, Dassu DY. Patient attitudes to over-the-counter drugs and possible professional responses to self-medication. Fam Pract. Feb 1998;15:44-50; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9527297
Cuzzolin L, Benoni G. Safety of non-prescription medi- cines: knowledge and attitudes of Italian pharmacy cus- tomers. Pharm World Sci. Feb 2010;32:97-102; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC43201 40
Zafar SN, Reema S, Sana W, Akbar JZ, Talha V, Mahrine S, et al. Self medication amongst university students of Karachi: Prevalence, knowledge and attitudes. J Pak Med Assoc 2008;58:214- 7;http://www.jpgmonline.com/article.asp?issn=0022- 859;year=2012;volume=58 ;issue=2
G. K. Nalini. Self-Medication among Allopathic medical Doctors in Karnataka, India. BJMP 2010;3:325; http://www.bjmp.org/content/self-medication-among- allopathic-medical-doctors- karnataka-india.
Klemenc-Ketis Z, Hladnik Z, Kersnik J. A cross sectional study of sex differences in self- medication practices among university students in Slovenia. Coll Antropol 2011;35:329-34; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC43162 75.
Klemenc-Ketis Z, Hladnik Z, Kersnik J. Self-medication among healthcare and non-healthcare students at Univer- sity of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Med Princ Pract 2010;19:395- 401; http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/316380
James H, Handu SS, Khaja KA, Sequeira RP. Influence of medical training on self-medication by students. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 2008;46:23-9; http://www.scopemed.org/?mno=36869
Abay SM, Amelo W. Assessment of self-medication practices among medical, pharmacy, and health science students in Gondar university, Ethiopia. J Young Pharm 2010;2:306-10;
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC43162 75
Wazaify M, Shields E, Hughes CM, McElnay JC. Societal perspectives on over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Fam Pract. Apr 2005;22:170-176. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Self-medication
Chua SS, Sabki NH. Use of nonprescription medications by the general public in the Klang Valley. Journal of Ap- plied Pharmaceutical Science. 2011;01:93-98.
Major C, Vincze Z. Consumer habits and interests regard- ing non-prescription medications in Hungary. Fam Pract. Jun 2010;27:333-338.
Calamusa A, Di Marzio A, Cristofani R, et al. Factors that influence Italian consumers'understanding of over-the- counter medicines and risk perception. Patient education and counseling. Jun 2012;87:395-401.
Hughes L, Whittlesea C, Luscombe D. Patients' knowledge and perceptions of the sideeffects of OTC medication. Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeu- tics. Aug 2002;27:243-248; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC36031 70
Indermitte J, Reber D, Beutler M, Bruppacher R, Hers- berger KE. Prevalence and patient awareness of selected potential drug interactions with self-medication. Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics. Apr 2007;32:149- 159; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17381665
Glover DD, Rybeck BF, Tracy TS. Medication use in a rural gynecologic population:prescription, over-the- counter, and herbal medicines. American journal of ob- stetrics and gynecology. Feb 2004;190:351-357.
National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE). Attitudes and beliefs about the use of over-the- counter medicines: A dose of reality. 2002;http://bemedwise.org/survey/final_survey.pdf. Accessed 10th April, 2013
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The authors retain the copyright of their article, with first publication rights granted to Medsci Publications.
