PREVALENCE, BEHAVIOUR, AWARENESS AND ATTITUDE REGARDING SELF MEDICATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN MEDICAL AND DENTAL STUDENTS IN SOUTH INDIA

Dr. Rupeshkumar Naik; Dr. G. Sunil Naik; Dr. Priyanka Jharapala

Volume : VIII, Issue : IV, April - 2019

PREVALENCE, BEHAVIOUR, AWARENESS AND ATTITUDE REGARDING SELF MEDICATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN MEDICAL AND DENTAL STUDENTS IN SOUTH INDIA

Dr. Rupeshkumar Naik, Dr. G. Sunil Naik, Dr. Priyanka Jharapala

Abstract :

Background: Self-medication is one of the common problems worldwide and is a cause of antibiotic resistance. The prevalence of self-medication in India could be high due to improper drug regulation and easy availability of over the counter medications. The knowledge, attitude and awareness regarding self-medication among medical and dental students could help us in understanding the need for awareness campaigns and necessitate the early exposure to the hazards of self-medication. Objectives: This study was aimed to compare the prevalence, awareness and attitude towards self-medication among medical and dental students from a reputed college in Telangana. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in medical (n=150) and dental (n=150) students to assess their awareness, attitude and behavior towards self-medication. Medical and dental students aged between 17 and 25 years were included in the study. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaire. Results: The overall prevalence of self-medication was high (87.3%) with antipyretics being most commonly self-prescribed (94.3%), followed by analgesics (72.5%) and antibiotics (58.0%). There was a significantly increased usage of sedatives (6.3%) & vitamins (78.8%) among medical students when compared to dental students. 88.0% felt that self-medication was acceptable and only 11% of them were aware of the hazards of drug misuse. The most common source for self-medication was physician prescription (75.3%) and 91% preferred self-medication to doctor consultation for minor illness to avoid waiting for long periods. Female students showed a statistically significant increased usage of analgesics (63.7%), vitamins (73.2%) and herbal drugs (66.9%) compared to their male counterparts. Conclusion: This study highlights the high prevalence of self-medication among medical and dental students and the lack of awareness of the hazards of improper drug usage. Drug resistance and adverse effects due to self-medicated drugs is a global issue and creating awareness among the students regarding the hazards of drug misuse is very important.