A comparative evaluation of the perception of self-medication among medical students of a tertiary care teaching medical college and hospital - A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Self-medication is the use of medicine without medical supervision to treat one’s own ailment. It is most prevalent in developing countries like India and has the potential to do good as it is cost effective for treating common illness and also causes harm resulting in irrational drug use, adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and antimicrobial resistance. As medical students are exposed to knowledge about disease and drugs, self-medication is highly prevalent among them. Aims and Objectives: The present study was carried to evaluate the practice and perception of self-medication among the second and final MBBS students and to compare the self-medication pattern among them to know the influence of medical training. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional and validated questionnaire-based study was conducted among the second and final MBBS students after the Institutional Ethics Committee approval. The students were asked to fill the questionnaire after obtaining informed consent. Chi-square test was used to compare self-medication pattern between the groups. Results: Awareness of the precautions of self-medication, correct dosage, ADRs, over-the-counter drugs, generic and branded drugs, and complete course of antibiotics was more and statistically significant in final MBBS when compared to the second MBBS students. Fever and headache were the major symptoms for self-medication in both groups. Drugs most commonly used as self-medication were analgesics and antipyretics. Previous prescriptions by physicians and textbooks were the common informants of self-medication in the second and final MBBS students, respectively. Conclusion: Self-medication is highly prevalent in undergraduate medical students. Various health education strategies are required to prevent and minimize drug interactions, irrational use, and adverse effects of drugs. Students need to be educated about the long-term adverse effects of the drugs and indiscriminate use of antibiotics to combat antimicrobial resistance.