ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year : 2023 | Volume
: 11 | Issue : 2 | Page : 133--137
Self-medication practices among medical and dental undergraduate students: An institution-based cross-sectional study
Shashikala Eda, Somnath Motgi, Thakur Rohith Singh
Department of Pharmacology, Malla Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Correspondence Address:
Shashikala Eda
Department of Pharmacology, Malla Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana
India
Abstract
Background: The students, especially medical and dental undergraduates are more involved in the self-medication practice as they are empowered with good knowledge of drugs and diseases and have greater access to medicine. Recent studies have shown a greater prevalence of self-medication among medical and dental students.
Objective: The objective of this study is to study the prevalence and risk factors of self-medication practices among medical and dental undergraduate students.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 502, medical (252) and dental (250) students. A predesigned, pretested, and semistructured study questionnaire was used for the data collection of the present study. The students were contacted and they were given the self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was collected back once they finished it. The questionnaire did not include any identifying information of the students. All batch students were contacted.
Results: Majority (35.9%) were aged 20 years. About 58.2% were females. There were 50.2% of medical and 49.8% of dental students. Almost no one agreed to have any kind of addiction; 53.8% were doing physical activity of <1 h. The prevalence of self-medication among students was 73.7%. It was 74.8% among dental students compared to 72.6% among medical students. The most common drug used for self-medication was paracetamol (30.3%). Most commonly, the drugs were used only for 1 day (33.5%). The most common condition for which the self-medication drug was used was cold (19.9%). No variable studied in the present study was found to be associated with self-medication.
Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication among medical and dental students was very high. However, the drugs used were not harmful and the frequency of use was limited. The practice of self-medication was similar in the two groups and it was not associated with any factors.
How to cite this article:
Eda S, Motgi S, Singh TR. Self-medication practices among medical and dental undergraduate students: An institution-based cross-sectional study.MRIMS J Health Sci 2023;11:133-137
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How to cite this URL:
Eda S, Motgi S, Singh TR. Self-medication practices among medical and dental undergraduate students: An institution-based cross-sectional study. MRIMS J Health Sci [serial online] 2023 [cited 2023 May 29 ];11:133-137
Available from: http://www.mrimsjournal.com/text.asp?2023/11/2/133/359952 |
Full Text
Introduction
Self-medication is the use of drugs by individuals to treat self-diagnosed disorders or symptoms, where the medicines are used intermittently or continuously on their own or with the help of pharmacists or media, but without proper advice from medical professionals.[1] Self-medication practice is increasing worldwide, especially in developing countries.[1],[2] Nepal is a developing country where access to medical services is difficult and shortage of medical personnel, especially in rural areas; self-medication becomes a better alternative for treating common ailments.[3]
The students, especially medical and dental undergraduates are more involved in the self-medication practice as they are empowered with good knowledge of drugs and diseases and have greater access to medicine.[4] Recent studies have shown a greater prevalence of self-medication among medical and dental students.[5],[6]
The present study was carried out to study the prevalence of self-medication practices among medical and dental undergraduate students and to study the risk factors of self-medication practices among medical and dental undergraduate students.
Materials and Methods
A cross-sectional study was carried out among 502 medical and dental students for 2 months from April 1, 2022, to May 31, 2022. The study was carried out at Malla Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences (MRIMS) and Malla Reddy Institute of Dental Sciences (MRIDS), Hyderabad.
The prevalence of self-medication practices among dental students was 83.3% as per one study published.[7] Using this as prevalence with a 95% confidence level and relative error as 5% of prevalence, the sample size was 328. The formula used was 4pq/L.[2] To cover the incomplete information at the time of data analysis, the sample size was rounded to 502 students, out of which 252 were medical students and 250 were dental students.
Undergraduate students of MRIMS and MRIDS of either gender, present on the day of data collection, and willing to participate were included in the present study. Data of students with incomplete information were excluded from the final analysis.
The protocol was submitted to the institutional ethics committee for approval. After their approval, the study was initiated. Informed consent was taken from the students.
Based on the review of literature, a predesigned, pretested, and semistructured study questionnaire was used for the data collection of the present study. Permission from the Dean of MRIMS and MRIDS was obtained to carry out the study. The students were contacted and they were given the self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was collected back once they finished it. The questionnaire did not include any identifying information of the students. All batch students were contacted.
Statistical analysis
The Chi-square test and t-test were used for proportions and mean values, respectively. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results
The majority (35.9%) were aged 20 years. About 58.2% were females. There were 50.2% of medical and 49.8% of dental students. About 66.3% of their fathers were educated more than intermediate. About 52.2% of their fathers were doing some business. In the case of mothers, 57.8% were educated up to inter and 87.5% of them were housewives [Table 1].{Table 1}
Almost no one agreed to have any kind of addiction such as smoking, alcohol, or tobacco use. About 53.8% were doing physical activity of <1 h [Table 2].{Table 2}
The prevalence of self-medication among students was 73.7%. It was 74.8% among dental students compared to 72.6% among medical students [Table 3].{Table 3}
The most common drug used for self-medication was paracetamol in 30.3% of cases, followed by cetirizine in 18.9% of the students [Table 4].{Table 4}
Most commonly, the drugs were used only for 1 day in 33.5% of the cases, followed by 2 days in 32.7% of the cases [Table 5].{Table 5}
The most common condition for which the self-medication drug was used was cold in 19.9% of the cases, followed by headache in 13.1% of the cases [Table 6].{Table 6}
The variables studied in the present study such as sex, stream of education, education and occupation of parents, and physical activity were not found to be associated with self-medication [Table 7].{Table 7}
Discussion
The majority (35.9%) were aged 20 years. About 58.2% were females. There were 50.2% of medical and 49.8% of dental students. About 66.3% of their fathers were educated more than intermediate. About 52.2% of their fathers were doing some business. In the case of mothers, 57.8% were educated up to inter and 87.5% of them were housewives. Almost no one agreed to have any kind of addiction such as smoking, alcohol, or tobacco use. About 53.8% were doing physical activity of <1 h. The prevalence of self-medication among students was 73.7%. It was 74.8% among dental students compared to 72.6% among medical students. The most common drug used for self-medication was paracetamol in 30.3% of cases, followed by cetirizine in 18.9% of the students. Most commonly, the drugs were used only for 1 day in 33.5% of the cases, followed by 2 days in 32.7% of the cases. The most common condition for which the self-medication drug was used was cold in 19.9% of the cases, followed by headache in 13.1% of the cases. The variables studied in the present study such as sex, stream of education, education and occupation of parents, and physical activity were not found to be associated with self-medication.
Nirmal et al.[8] studied 430 students from medical college. Females were slightly more than males. However, in the present study, females outnumbered males. The prevalence of self-medication reported by the author was very high, i.e. 84% compared to 73.7% in the present study. The authors reported that convenience was the most common reason for self-medication in 46.9% of the cases. In their study, 57.3% used analgesics compared to 30.3% of paracetamol used in the present study.
Banerjee and Bhadury[9] included 468 students. The prevalence of self-medication was 57.05% which is lower than that we found in the present study. About 35.21% of the students in their study used self-medication for cold and cough which is similar to the present study finding. In their study, antibiotics were commonly used while we found that the most commonly used drug was paracetamol. The authors found that mild illness was the most common reason for self-medication in their study.
Pal et al.[10] found that the prevalence of self-medication among medical undergraduate students was 65% which is almost similar to what we found in the present study. Seventy-four percent of them were knowing what meant by self-medication was. Seventy-four percent of them got information on drugs from textbooks or from teachers. About 79.6% of them used self-medication for fever. We also found that fever was the most common indication of self-medication. About 81.2% of them used antacids while in the present study the most common drug used was paracetamol.
Kasulkar and Gupta[11] carried out a study among 488 medical students. The prevalence of self-medication was 71.7% which is very much similar to that what we found in the present study. They found that antipyretics was the most commonly used similar to the present study findings. The authors concluded that self-medication was highly prevalent among these medical students.
Kumar et al.[12] assessed the prevalence of self-medication among 440 medical students. They found a very high prevalence of self-medication, i.e. 78.6% which is slightly more than that we found in the present study. It was more in females compared to males while we did not find any significant differences among males and females for the practice of self-medication. About 74.8% of their students used antipyretics. Forty-seven percent of the students felt that self-medication should be done. About 39.3% said that if the pharmacies do not give the medicines without a prescription, then the self-medication will stop.
Conclusion
The prevalence of self-medication among medical and dental students was very high. However, the drugs used were not harmful and the frequency of use was limited. The practice of self-medication was similar in the two groups and it was not associated with any factors.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
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