Self-Medication Among Undergraduate Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51985/JBUMDC2020039Keywords:
Drug, Medical sciences, Self-medication, undergraduateAbstract
Objective: To evaluate the frequency of self-medication among undergraduate students of medical sciences
Study design and setting: Cross-sectional Study was conducted at Al-Tibri Medical College Hospital, from October 2019
to February 2020.
Methodology: Data was collected after an ethical approval of concerned institute; total of 150 students included from the
1st, 3rd and final year of MBBS. Valid questionnaire was used to evaluate the response of the participants regarding selfmedication.
Verbal consent was taken from the students, and then they were asked to fill their responses. Data was evaluated
in the form of frequency and percentages through SPSS version 21.0. Chi-square test was applied, and the level of significance
was considered p=<0.05
Results: Out of total of 150 students, 58.7% were males and 41.3% females. In students of 1st, 3rd and 5th year the most
common morbidity for seeking self-medication was headache, flu/cough, fever, and pain. The percentage of drug/ drug
groups commonly used for self-medication included antipyretics being 36%, 54% and 64%, antibiotics were 50%, 86%
and 90%, and analgesics was 42%, 62% and 64% in 1st, 3rd and 5th years respectively. Common reasons for pursuing selfmedication
were minor illnesses (50%, 81%, 94%), easy availability (52%, 82%, 92%) and quick-relief (50%, 58%, 100%)
in 1st, 3rd and 5th year respectively.
Conclusion: In the present study, self-medication was observed in a large percentage of students. Thus, medical curricula
need further consideration to promote awareness regarding the disadvantages of self-medication in undergraduates so we
can curb this self-medication culture from our society.
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Copyright (c) 2021 Hina Khan., Jamil Ahmed Siddiqui, Muhammad Sajid Khan
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