Main Article Content
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Self-medication is a pervasive habit, and drug abuse is a severe problem. Since medical students are future doctors, they give it a unique significance. The study's objectives were to assess the practice, knowledge, and attitudes of first- and second-year medical students at a medical college in West Bengal, India, about self-medication.
METHODS
The study was conducted in Nilratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal. In 2021, medical students across the colleges of West Bengal conducted cross-sectional research using questionnaires. Upon being informed of the objectives and design of the study, first- and second-year MBBS students willingly agreed to participate.
RESULTS
In this study, 91.50% of medical students practiced self-medication. The common indication for self-medication was fever (89.2%) and headache (69.6%). Previous prescriptions for the same illness (68.87%) were the main source of information for self-medication. Common reasons for self-medication were urgency (53.33%) and quick relief (50%). Over-the-counter (88.14%) drugs were the most common sources of medications. The common preferred system of self-medication was allopathic (92.5%). The percentage of discontinuation (58.1%) of self-medication was more. The majority of them favoured oral (96.67%) media.
CONCLUSIONS
It was determined that more than half of the student population self-medicated for a wide range of ailments; the cause may be the increased public awareness of drugs brought on by the availability of information via books, the internet, and over-the-counter medications from pharmacists. Therefore, it is crucial to stop students from self-medicating to prevent the emergence of drug habits, resistance, and drug interactions.
Keywords
Article Details
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References
- Bennadi D. Self-medication: a current challenge. Journal of basic and clinical pharmacy, 2013;5(1):19.
- World Health Organization. Guidelines for the regulatory assessment of medicinal products for use in self-medication (No. WHO/EDM/QSM/00.1). World Health Organization 2000.
- Montastruc JL, Bagheri H, Geraud T, et al. Pharmacovigilance of self-medication. Therapie 1997;52(2):105-10.
- Habeeb GE, Gearhart JG. Common patient symptoms: patterns of self-treatment and prevention. J Miss State Med Assoc 1993;34(6):179-81.
- Banerjee I, Bhadury T. Self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care medical college, West Bengal. J Postgrad Med 2012;58(2):127-31.
- Kumar N, Kanchan T, Unnikrishnan B, et al. Perceptions and practices of self-medication among medical students in coastal South India. PLoS One 2013;8(8):e72247.
- Shah A, Dhanani JV, Bhadiyadara S, et al. Evaluation of self-medication practice in second year undergraduate students at a medical college in south gujarat. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 2021;14(8)104-7,
- Yadav SK, Hameed S. Self medication among under-graduate students in IGIMS, Patna-An observational & prospective study. IP International Journal of Comprehensive and Advanced Pharmacology 2021;6(4):185-9.
- Sontakke SD, Bajait CS, Pimpalkhute SA, et al. Comparative study of evaluation of self-medication practices in first and third year medical students. Int J Biol Med Res 2011;2(2):561-4.
- Badiger S, Kundapur R, Jain A, et al. Self-medication patterns among medical students in South India. Australas Med J 2012;5(4):217–20.
- Verma RK, Mohan L, Pandey M. Evaluation of self medication among professional students in North India: Proper statutory drug control must be implemented. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 2010;3(1):60-4.
- Alshogran OY, Alzoubi KH, Khabour OF, et al. Patterns of self-medication among medical and nonmedical University students in Jordan. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2018;11:169-76.
- Banerjee I, Bhadury T. Self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care medical college, West Bengal. J Postgrad Med 2012;58(2):127-31.
- Rashid M, Chhabra M, Kashyap A, et al. Prevalence and predictors of self-medication practices in India: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Curr Clin Pharmacol 2020;15(2):90-101.
- Goyal A, Gaur A, Chhabra M, et al. Knowledge, attitude and practices of Over The Counter (OTC) medicines among rural population-A cross sectional study. Asian J Pharm Pharmacol 2018;4(2):227-31.
- 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(3):306-10.
- Gutema GB, Gadisa DA, Kidanemariam ZA, et al. Self-Medication Practices among Health Sciences Students:. The Case of Mekelle University J Appl Pharmaceutical Sci 2011;1(10):183-9.
- Smogavec M, Softič N, Kersnik J, et al. An overview of self-treatment and selfmedication practices among Slovenian citizens. Slovenian Med J 2010;79(11):757–63.
- Zafar SN, Syed R, Waqar S, et al. Prescription of medicines by medical Students of Karachi, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2008;19:162.
- El Ezz NF, Ez-Elarab HS. Knowledge, attitude and practice of medical students towards self-medication at Ain Shams University. Egypt J Prev Med Hyg 2011;5(4):196-200.
- Fadare JO, Tamuno I. Antibiotic self-medication among university medical undergraduates in Northern Nigeria. J Public Health Epidemiol 2011;3(5):217-20.
- Ali SE, Ibrahim MIM, Palaian S. Medication storage and self-medication behaviour amongst female students in Malaysia. Pharm Pract 2010;8(4):226-32.
- Alam N, Saffoon N, Uddin R. Self-medication among medical and pharmacy students in Bangladesh. BMC Res 2015;8(1):763.
- Daanish AF, Mushkani EA. Influence of medical education on medicine use and self-medication among medical students: a cross-sectional study from kabul. Drug Healthc Patient Saf 2022;14:79-85.
- Esan DT, Fasoro AA, Odesanya OE, et al. Assessment of self-medication practices and its associated factors among undergraduates of a private university in Nigeria. J Environ Public Health 2018;2018:5439079.
- Limaye D, Limaye V, Krause G, et al. A systematic review of the literature to assess self-medication practices. Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research 2017;4(8):2620-31.
- Aljinoviæ-Vuciæ V, Trkulja V, Lackoviæ Z. Content of home pharmacies and self-medication practices in households of pharmacy and medical students in Zagreb, Croatia: findings in 2001 with a reference to 1977. Croat Med J 2005;46(1):74-80.
- Osemene KP, Lamikanra A. A Study of the prevalence of self-medication practice among university students in south western Nigeria. Trop J Pharm Res 2012;11(4):683-9.
- Pandya RN, Jhaveri KS, Vyas FI, et al. Prevalence, pattern and perceptions of self-medication in medical students. Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol 2013;2(3):275-80.
- Yousef AM, Al-Bakri AG, Bustanji Y, et al. Self-medication patterns in Amman, Jordan. Pharm World Sci 2008;30(1):24-30.
References
Bennadi D. Self-medication: a current challenge. Journal of basic and clinical pharmacy, 2013;5(1):19.
World Health Organization. Guidelines for the regulatory assessment of medicinal products for use in self-medication (No. WHO/EDM/QSM/00.1). World Health Organization 2000.
Montastruc JL, Bagheri H, Geraud T, et al. Pharmacovigilance of self-medication. Therapie 1997;52(2):105-10.
Habeeb GE, Gearhart JG. Common patient symptoms: patterns of self-treatment and prevention. J Miss State Med Assoc 1993;34(6):179-81.
Banerjee I, Bhadury T. Self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care medical college, West Bengal. J Postgrad Med 2012;58(2):127-31.
Kumar N, Kanchan T, Unnikrishnan B, et al. Perceptions and practices of self-medication among medical students in coastal South India. PLoS One 2013;8(8):e72247.
Shah A, Dhanani JV, Bhadiyadara S, et al. Evaluation of self-medication practice in second year undergraduate students at a medical college in south gujarat. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 2021;14(8)104-7,
Yadav SK, Hameed S. Self medication among under-graduate students in IGIMS, Patna-An observational & prospective study. IP International Journal of Comprehensive and Advanced Pharmacology 2021;6(4):185-9.
Sontakke SD, Bajait CS, Pimpalkhute SA, et al. Comparative study of evaluation of self-medication practices in first and third year medical students. Int J Biol Med Res 2011;2(2):561-4.
Badiger S, Kundapur R, Jain A, et al. Self-medication patterns among medical students in South India. Australas Med J 2012;5(4):217–20.
Verma RK, Mohan L, Pandey M. Evaluation of self medication among professional students in North India: Proper statutory drug control must be implemented. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 2010;3(1):60-4.
Alshogran OY, Alzoubi KH, Khabour OF, et al. Patterns of self-medication among medical and nonmedical University students in Jordan. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2018;11:169-76.
Banerjee I, Bhadury T. Self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care medical college, West Bengal. J Postgrad Med 2012;58(2):127-31.
Rashid M, Chhabra M, Kashyap A, et al. Prevalence and predictors of self-medication practices in India: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Curr Clin Pharmacol 2020;15(2):90-101.
Goyal A, Gaur A, Chhabra M, et al. Knowledge, attitude and practices of Over The Counter (OTC) medicines among rural population-A cross sectional study. Asian J Pharm Pharmacol 2018;4(2):227-31.
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(3):306-10.
Gutema GB, Gadisa DA, Kidanemariam ZA, et al. Self-Medication Practices among Health Sciences Students:. The Case of Mekelle University J Appl Pharmaceutical Sci 2011;1(10):183-9.
Smogavec M, Softič N, Kersnik J, et al. An overview of self-treatment and selfmedication practices among Slovenian citizens. Slovenian Med J 2010;79(11):757–63.
Zafar SN, Syed R, Waqar S, et al. Prescription of medicines by medical Students of Karachi, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2008;19:162.
El Ezz NF, Ez-Elarab HS. Knowledge, attitude and practice of medical students towards self-medication at Ain Shams University. Egypt J Prev Med Hyg 2011;5(4):196-200.
Fadare JO, Tamuno I. Antibiotic self-medication among university medical undergraduates in Northern Nigeria. J Public Health Epidemiol 2011;3(5):217-20.
Ali SE, Ibrahim MIM, Palaian S. Medication storage and self-medication behaviour amongst female students in Malaysia. Pharm Pract 2010;8(4):226-32.
Alam N, Saffoon N, Uddin R. Self-medication among medical and pharmacy students in Bangladesh. BMC Res 2015;8(1):763.
Daanish AF, Mushkani EA. Influence of medical education on medicine use and self-medication among medical students: a cross-sectional study from kabul. Drug Healthc Patient Saf 2022;14:79-85.
Esan DT, Fasoro AA, Odesanya OE, et al. Assessment of self-medication practices and its associated factors among undergraduates of a private university in Nigeria. J Environ Public Health 2018;2018:5439079.
Limaye D, Limaye V, Krause G, et al. A systematic review of the literature to assess self-medication practices. Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research 2017;4(8):2620-31.
Aljinoviæ-Vuciæ V, Trkulja V, Lackoviæ Z. Content of home pharmacies and self-medication practices in households of pharmacy and medical students in Zagreb, Croatia: findings in 2001 with a reference to 1977. Croat Med J 2005;46(1):74-80.
Osemene KP, Lamikanra A. A Study of the prevalence of self-medication practice among university students in south western Nigeria. Trop J Pharm Res 2012;11(4):683-9.
Pandya RN, Jhaveri KS, Vyas FI, et al. Prevalence, pattern and perceptions of self-medication in medical students. Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol 2013;2(3):275-80.
Yousef AM, Al-Bakri AG, Bustanji Y, et al. Self-medication patterns in Amman, Jordan. Pharm World Sci 2008;30(1):24-30.