Self-Medication Practices among Medical and Non-Medical Students

BACKGROUND Self-medication practice involves consumption of medicines by one's own initiative or on the consultation of others without the guidance of a doctor. Self-medication and use of over-the-counter drugs, are worldwide health concerns. This study evaluated the prevalence, behavioural patterns, knowledge of self-medication, and the attitudes toward this practice among medical and nonmedical university students. METHODS This is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among students with medical and non-medical backgrounds. A semi-structured questionnaire was constructed after reviewing literature to capture data regarding socio-demographic background, practice and knowledge of self-medication. RESULTS Out of a total of 98 students, 79.6 % of students practiced self-medication (medical - 77.5 % and non-medical - 85.2 %). The main reason for self-medication was convenience (50.8 %) and the choice of self-medication was based on their own experience (30.4 %) and previous doctors' prescription (20.2 %). Community pharmacies (64.0 %) were the most common source of acquiring the drugs in both groups. It was observed that 53.1 % students think self-medication is an acceptable practice. 28.6% were confident of treating infectious diseases through selfmedication. CONCLUSIONS The present study shows a higher prevalence of self-medication among students. It also indicates a critical need for the implementation of quality education programs in order to prevent the self-medication among students.