Self-medication in Underserved Population in India: A Review

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-127
Author(s):  
Akshay Parihar ◽  
Thuy Tien Tran ◽  
Thanveer Gadwal ◽  
Rajesh Balkrishnan ◽  
Isha Patel

Self-medication is a common practice in treating symptoms due to acute and chronic illnesses. It is a significant health dilemma in India. Exposure to advertising, low level of literacy, short duration of ailments, leftover medications, geographical barriers, embarrassment, affordability and health insurance are reasons for individuals opting for self-medication. Underserved populations in India are more likely to experience or accept self-medication due to these reasons. The major problem with self-medication is misdiagnosis, which can further perpetuate more complications. Furthermore, treating adverse events from self-medication can financially burden individuals and the healthcare systems alike. Healthcare professionals such as pharmacists can play an important role in minimizing the risks associated with self-medication through appropriate counseling and dissemination of accurate information to their patients. Recommendations for minimizing risks of self-medication include, increasing healthcare education for the public; especially the underserved populations, creating and reinforcing stricter government regulations on advertisements by drug companies, improving knowledge and comprehension of the side effects for drugs, increasing better communication between patients and healthcare providers, and improving access and quality healthcare for underserved populations. This review focuses on the reasons why individuals practice self-medication, the risks involved, and discusses possible recommendations for alleviating those risks related to self-medication.

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-192
Author(s):  
Elidahanum Husni ◽  
Rima Jumeini Cahayu

Medicine is a substance that can be used to cure diseases. Behind its benefits, drugs can turn into poisons if not used correctly and adequately. Many people who do not know how to get, use, store and dispose of the right medicine so that counseling is needed to understand this and prevent/minimize the occurrence of side effects and toxic effects of the drug. Nagari Mungka people also do much self-medication before deciding to go to a doctor or a health center. To be able to carry out self-medication correctly, the public must get accurate information so that they can determine the type and amount of drugs needed. To protect the public from the dangers of using drugs that are not appropriate and incorrect, it is necessary to be given socialization about medication access-usage-storage-disposal education and its application in everyday life. Education about Medication access-usage-storage-disposal was conducted to the community of Nagari Mungka in Lima Puluh Kota District in July 2019, attended by 16 participants. The material provided includes how to medication access-usage-storage-disposal the right medicine and through education methods. The counseling that has been done has succeeded in increasing the Nagari Mungka community's knowledge about the types of drugs on the market, various types of drug preparations, how to use drugs, to store and dispose of expired drugs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Namosha Mohite ◽  
Vienica Funtanilla ◽  
Jagannath Muzumdar ◽  
Taehwan Park

Objective: The study purpose was to critically review FDA-issued warning letters (WLs) and notice of violation (NOV) letters against drug companies’ from 2012-2019 for economic, clinical, and humanistic (ECHO) claims made in pharmaceutical promotional materials. Specific objectives were to assess the, (1) number of WLs and NOV issued; (2) frequency of WLs and NOV by therapeutic areas; (3) type of communication media cited in WLs or NOV; (4) intended audience for the claims in promotional materials for which the WLs and NOV were issued; and (5) number of WLs and NOV for ECHO claims. Methods: The quantitative content analysis approach was employed to review WLs and NOVs, obtained from the FDA website, from January 2012-December 2019. A data abstraction form was created based on the published literature on this topic and assessment of the content of WLs and NOVs for 2010. This form was pilot tested on letters issued in 2011. The researchers discussed any unclear question or information presented in the letters. The letters were reviewed three researchers. If there was disagreement between the reviewers, either a fourth reviewer arbitrated on the disagreement or the letter(s) were discussed by the researchers to determine a final classification. ICD-10 codes were used for therapeutic categories in the data collected form. Descriptive statistics, Kappa statistics for interrater reliability, and Cochrane-Armitage test were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 24.0 Results: A total of 102 letters were analyzed. Of these, 19 (19%) were WLs and 83 (81%) were NOVs. Majority of these letters were issued to manufacturers of therapeutic agents for diseases of the nervous system (n=15; 14.7%) and neoplasms (n=15; 14.7%). The most commonly cited media for violation was online website (n=29; 27.1%). Out of the 153 violations in 102 letters, 92 (60.1%) were clinical; 13 (8.5%) humanistic; 2 (1.3%) were economic; and 46 (30%) were categorized as ‘Others’. Conclusion: The study found misleading claims of the clinical effectiveness and risk information included in the promotional materials targeted to consumers as well as healthcare providers. Promoting reliable, evidence-based information is important for the health of the public as inadequate information could lead to irrational decision making both on consumer as well as on prescriber side.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farzana Gounder

The burden of preventable diseases is increasing in the South Pacific Island Countries and Territories. In Fiji, significant media attention and national finances are spent on public dissemination of the modifiable risk factors of chronic illnesses. However, little is known about lay societal perceptions of chronic illnesses and of people living with these illnesses. This preliminary study takes an area-situated approach to lay knowledge and examines Suva residents’ moral evaluations associated with socially significant health concerns in Fiji. Using the case studies of HIV, cancer, and diabetes, the research employs content analysis to examine 144 Suva residents’ Letters to the Editor, published between 2000 and 2019 in The Fiji Times. The findings indicate that letter writers on chronic illnesses are power sensitive, interested in governmental responsibility, and aware of the role of stigma in creating inequitable health outcomes. The study’s findings locate chronic illness as not only a medical responsibility but also a social justice and human rights concern that requires a multisectoral approach, with community-tailored responses at the heart of all discussions. The lay-societal recognition of the three illnesses as being socially relevant suggests grassroots support for policies directed towards structural reforms for the prevention and management of these illnesses.


1970 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-44
Author(s):  
Daniele Cristina Braz Dos Santos ◽  
Alexandre Magno Batista Machado ◽  
Fábio Vieira Lacerda

Objetivo: O trabalho teve por objetivo mapear, quantificar e verificar a destinação dos medicamentos vencidos e em desuso, e contribuir com uma discussão sobre os problemas gerados com a destinação imprópria desses medicamentos e os impactos causados ao meio ambiente na cidade de Itajubá/MG. Materiais e Métodos: A pesquisa utilizou o método quantitativo de corte transversal, sendo realizada no período de maio a agosto de 2014. Participaram da pesquisa um total de trinta farmácias da cidade de Itajubá. As entrevistas foram realizadas com os responsáveis técnicos das farmácias (farmacêuticos), de forma individual, procurando identificar a forma de manejo e descarte dos fármacos. Do mesmo modo, procurou-se evidenciar como os colaboradores se comportam em relação a importância ecológica do descarte correto e como veem a importância de conscientizar a população. Resultados e Discussão: O consumo de medicamentos vem aumentando expressivamente nas últimas décadas, devido ao estímulo publicitário e à automedicação. Com isso, cada vez mais medicamentos são produzidos e descartados de forma inadequada, o que põe em risco o solo, os recursos hídricos e principalmente, a saúde humana. Por meio dos resultados obtidos pode-se perceber que poucos indivíduos possuem a conscientização do descarte correto dos medicamentos. Conclusão: A falta de colaboração por parte do poder público local em instruir a comunidade pode ser um dos motivos onde ainda existem muitas pessoas desinformadas. Apesar das farmácias estarem implementando um programa de destinação, poucas entendem ou sabem a destinação correta dos resíduos de medicamentos. Palavra-chave: Saúde. Medicamento. Destinação. ABSTRACTObjective: The study aimed to map, quantify and verify the allocation of accrued and unused medications, and contribute to a discussion of the problems created by improper disposal of these medications and the impacts to the environment in the Itajubá city state/MG. Materials and Methods: The research used a cross quantitative sectional study and was conducted in the period May to August 2014.  A total of 30 pharmacies from Itajubá participated. Interviews were conducted with the technical managers of the establishments surveyed, individually, seeking to identify the form of handling and disposal of medications. Similarly, sought to highlight how employees behave towards the ecological importance of proper disposal and how they see the importance to educate the public. Results and Discussion: The consumption of drugs has been increasing significantly in recent decades due to the advertising stimulus and self-medication. With this, more and more medications are produced and discarded improperly, putting the soil, water resources and especially human health at risk. Through the results obtained can be seen that few individuals possess the awareness of proper disposal of medications. Conclusion: The lack of cooperation from the local government to instruct the community can be one of the reasons where there are still many uninformed people. Although pharmacies are implementing a program allocation, few understand or know the proper disposal of waste medicines. Keywords: Health. Medicine. Destination


Author(s):  
Jessica Flanigan

Though rights of self-medication needn’t change medical decision-making for most patients, rights of self-medication have the potential to transform other aspects of healthcare as it is currently practiced. For example, if public officials respected patient’s authority to make medical decisions without authorization from a regulator or a physician, then they should also respect patient’s authority to choose to use unauthorized medical devices and medical providers. And many of the same reasons in favor of rights of self-medication and against prohibitive regulations are also reasons to support patient’s rights to access information about pharmaceuticals, including pharmaceutical advertisements. Rights of self-medication may also call for revisions to existing standards of product liability and prompt officials to rethink justifications for the public provision of healthcare.


Author(s):  
Ching Siang Tan ◽  
Saim Lokman ◽  
Yao Rao ◽  
Szu Hua Kok ◽  
Long Chiau Ming

AbstractOver the last year, the dangerous severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly around the world. Malaysia has not been excluded from this COVID-19 pandemic. The resurgence of COVID-19 cases has overwhelmed the public healthcare system and overloaded the healthcare resources. Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia has adopted an Emergency Ordinance (EO) to instruct private hospitals to receive both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients to reduce the strain on public facilities. The treatment of COVID-19 patients at private hospitals could help to boost the bed and critical care occupancy. However, with the absence of insurance coverage because COVID-19 is categorised as pandemic-related diseases, there are some challenges and opportunities posed by the treatment fees management. Another major issue in the collaboration between public and private hospitals is the willingness of private medical consultants to participate in the management of COVID-19 patients, because medical consultants in private hospitals in Malaysia are not hospital employees, but what are termed “private contractors” who provide patient care services to the hospitals. Other collaborative measures with private healthcare providers, e.g. tele-conferencing by private medical clinics to monitor COVID-19 patients and the rollout of national vaccination programme. The public and private healthcare partnership must be enhanced, and continue to find effective ways to collaborate further to combat the pandemic. The MOH, private healthcare sectors and insurance providers need to have a synergistic COVID-19 treatment plans to ensure public as well as insurance policy holders have equal opportunities for COVID-19 screening tests, vaccinations and treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 187-194
Author(s):  
Gasmelseed Ahmed ◽  
Zainab Almoosa ◽  
Dalia Mohamed ◽  
Janepple Rapal ◽  
Ofelia Minguez ◽  
...  

Background: During the long wait and the global anxiety for a vaccine against COVID-19, impressively high-safety and effective vaccines were invented by multiple pharmaceutical companies. Aim: We aimed to assess the attitudes of healthcare providers and evaluate their intention to advocate for the vaccine. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary private hospital where an electronic survey was distributed among healthcare providers (HCPs). The survey contained two sections: socio-demographic characteristics and Likert-scale perception, with 72% internal consistency. Results: The response rate to the email survey was 37% (n = 236). In addition, 169 (71.6%) of respondents were women, with more than half (134, 56.8%) aged ≤35 years. A total of 110 (46.6%) had over 10 years of experience, and most of them were nurses (146, 62%). Univariate analysis revealed that older participants significantly accepted and advocated for the new vaccine more than the younger ones. In the multivariate analysis, men were significantly more likely than women to accept and advocate for the new vaccine, as were those with chronic illnesses. Participants with allergy were significantly less likely to accept the vaccine than others. odds ratio (OR) and p-values were 2.5, 0.003; 2.3, 0.04; and 0.4, 0.01, respectively. Conclusion: The acceptance rate for the newly-developed COVID-19 vaccines was average among HCPs. Sex, age, presence of chronic illnesses, and allergy were significant predictors of accepting the vaccine.


1995 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi M. Bauer ◽  
Michael A. Rodriguez

Domestic violence is an important social problem that strongly impacts the healthcare system. It is estimated that two to four million women are physically abused each year by their husbands, ex-husbands, or boyfriends. Many of these abused women enter the medical system as patients with physical injuries, somatic symptoms, or psychiatric problems. These patients represent a large proportion of women patients in a variety of clinical settings: 22–35% of women presenting to emergency departments, up to 37% of obstetric patients, and over 25% of women seeking primary care. Despite the significant health implications of marital abuse, healthcare providers often fail to identify and treat this problem when signs are present.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 611-612
Author(s):  
Taylor Patskanick ◽  
Julie Miller

Abstract Medication management is an ongoing consideration for adults ages 85 and older, their caregivers, and healthcare providers. When asked about their attitudes and behaviors regarding medication management, over 73% of the Lifestyle Leaders reported taking 3+ prescription medications daily and managing their own medication regimes. 61.9% of participants had taken over-the-counter, non-prescription medication for pain over the past five years. When asked why some participants didn’t currently take prescription medications to manage pain, the most frequently-reported responses were: “I don’t feel that my pain warrants a prescription medication,” (19%, n=8), “I don’t want to deal with the side effects,” and “I don’t trust drug companies,” (9.5%, n=4, respectively). The Lifestyle Leaders reported they would be most likely to go to the internet (over their local pharmacist) to ask for advice about their medication(s). Meanwhile, 39% of Lifestyle Leaders would trust a robot to manage their medication(s) for them.


Author(s):  
Syed Sharaf Ali Shah ◽  
Safdar Pasha ◽  
Nikhat Iftikar ◽  
Altaf Ahmed Soomro ◽  
Nazia Farrukh ◽  
...  

Objective: To assess the magnitude of the problem of injection safety in public and private health facilities in two districts of Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted between October and December 2020 among public and private health facilities of two districts of Pakistan: Gujarat in Punjab and Larkana in Sindh provinces. A convenient sample size of 60 healthcare facilities (30 from each district) was taken due to time and resource constraint. Six data collection tools were used which included structured observations and interviews with injection prescribers and providers based on WHO Revised Tool C, which were finalised after piloting. Results: Reuse of injection equipment was not observed in any of the 60 health facilities. In exit interviews of 120 patients, it was found that 27 (22.5%) patients reported receiving an injection, while 11 (9.2%) were prescribed intravenous (IV) drips. More injections and drips were prescribed in the private sector (n=15; 25.0%) in comparison with the public sector (n=12; 20.0%). Slightly higher proportion of IV drips were prescribed by the private providers when compared to public sector healthcare providers: 6 (10.0%) vs 5 (8.3%) respectively. Most of the prescribers (n=58; 96.7%) reported that patients who attended public and private health facilities demanded injectable medicines. Used syringes and drips were noted to be visible in open containers and buckets for final disposal in 20 (33.3%) assessed health facilities. Continuou...


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