scholarly journals A cross-sectional study regarding the knowledge, attitude and awareness about self-medication among Bangladeshi people

Author(s):  
Md. Abu Bakar Siddique Jami

Abstract Background: Self-medication is the use of medicinal products by the consumer which is not prescribed by the physician or doctor. Self-medication practice (SMP) is widely adopted by the common people of developing countries like Bangladesh. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Aim & Objective: This study was conducted to learn about the knowledge and awareness level and to evaluate the practice and attitude towards self-medication among the common people of Bangladesh. Method: Primary data was collected by conducting an online survey with a well-constructed questionnaire. Data collection was carried out from May 2021 to June 2021. The subjects were minimum 15 years of age. From 35 districts of Bangladesh, total 322 people of different age groups, education levels, economic classes participated in the survey. Result: 71% (229) of the respondents were 21-25 years of age. 66% were undergraduate students. Most of them were from middle class society and well-educated. 80% of the population said that they had purchased or taken medicines without any prescription. 57% of them told they do not consider self-medication as a very safe practice although, 87% of the population had practiced self-medication at least once in the preceding year. Antipyretics (212), Analgesics (165), Drugs for Cold/Cough (197) and Anti-ulcer/Antacids (140) were the majority categories of medicines that were used mostly for self-medication. Nearly all (311) of them collects SMP medicine from Pharmacy shops. Previous prescription (146), Advice from family or friends (165) and Internet or other media (113) were their common sources of information for their self-medication practice. Conclusion: Self-medication practice is highly prevalent in Bangladesh. People are not aware enough about possible negative outcomes of it. Therefore, the regulatory laws should be implemented more strictly regarding buying and selling medicines


Author(s):  
Hinaben R. Patel ◽  
Ravikant R. Patel

Background: Self-medication is becoming a most prevalent practice among educated people across the world. In today’s era, internet and media is one of the most important sources for promoting self-medication practice. Medical students are highly influenced with this practice as their future medical preference and the fact that medical students find themselves having more knowledge about drugs this may lead to irrational usage of drugs. Aim and Objectives of the study were conducted to know the 1. Self-medication practices among medical students 2. Common, indications and reasons for self-medication practice. 3.Attitude of medical students towards self-medication practice.Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among undergraduate medical students of GMERS Medical College Valsad. The study was carried out in the months of October to December 2017. Medical students of first and final year MBBS participated voluntarily in this study after being briefed in detail about the goals & method of the study.Results: In this study, 91.50% of medical students were practiced self-medication. The common indication for self-medication was fever (76.50%) and cough (75.96%). Acquaintances (67.76%) are main source of information for self-medication. Common reasons they know the medicine (78.14%) and previous exposure (64.48%). 12.5% student perceived self-medication is harmless and 21.0% of medical students advise other to take self-medication.Conclusions: It was concluded that more than half of strength of students practice self-medication for various illnesses; the reason might be the awareness of drugs due to easy accessibility of information through books, internet as well as availability of medicine without prescription from pharmacist. So, essential measure should be taken to reduce the practice of self-medication among students to avoid development of drug dependence, resistance and drug interactions.





2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (225) ◽  
Author(s):  
Namita Kumari Mandal ◽  
Gajendra Prasad Rauniyar ◽  
Dilli Sher Rai ◽  
Dipesh Raj Panday ◽  
Ramayan Kushwaha ◽  
...  

Introduction: Self-medication plays significant role in the development of adverse drug reactions,antibiotic resistance, and masking of underlying diseases. Medical students have some knowledgeabout the use of antibiotics and have a higher chance of irrational and injudicious use. This studyaims to find the prevalence of self-medication practice of antibiotics among medical and dentalundergraduate students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done among medical and dental undergraduatestudents from the first year to the fifth year at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences from 1st June2018 to 30th August 2018. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee(IRC/1210/018). Whole sampling was done. Data was collected using a self-responding, semistructured questionnaire and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 11.5. Results: In total 558 students, the prevalence of self-medication practice of different antibioticswas 285 (51.1%) within the past year. Among self-medicated students, 152 (53.3%) were males. Thecommon drug self-medicated was Azithromycin 80 (28.1%) and the common medical condition touse non-prescription antibiotics was for treatment of sore throat with runny nose 129 (45.3%). Themain source for obtaining non-prescription antibiotics were retail pharmacies 157 (55.1%). Conclusions: Self-medication with antibiotics was at increasing rate with each succeeding yearsof the medical courses. Medical students should be made aware of the rational use of antibioticsby incorporating appropriate courses in their academic curriculum for more refined practice onantibiotics rather than advancement of theoretical knowledge alone.



2020 ◽  
Vol Volume 14 ◽  
pp. 1779-1790
Author(s):  
Nuhamin Zeru ◽  
Destaw Fetene ◽  
Demiss Mulatu Geberu ◽  
Alemakef Wagnew Melesse ◽  
Asmamaw Atnafu


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordana Nikolić ◽  
Nikola M. Stojanović ◽  
Pavle J. Randjelović ◽  
Snežana Manojlović ◽  
Niko S. Radulović


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