A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study on self-medication practices among undergraduate medical students of GMERS Medical College, Valsad, Gujarat

Abstract

Background: Self-medication is widely practiced worldwide, especially developing country as many drugs are dispensed over the counter without prescription and may lead to irrational usage of drugs. Self-medication common among medical students especially encountered among medical students because of their future medical preference and the fact that medical students find themselves having more knowledge about drugs. Hence, the present study was conducted to find out the prevalence, reasons and commonly use medicine for self-medication practice by them. Objectives: The objectives of this study are to find out the prevalence of self-medication among medical students and to know the various factors related with self-medication among them. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among undergraduate medical students of GMERS Medical College, Valsad. The study was conducted in the months of October–December 2017. Medical students of first and final year MBBS participated voluntarily in this study after being briefed in detail about the goals and method of the study. The data were entered and analyzed using statistical software. Results: In this study, 91.50% of medical students were practiced self-medication. 62.89% were purchased medicines by generic name of drugs, 69.95% were aware about side effect, and 64.48% knows the dosage of medicine used by them for self-medication. Common reason for self-medication was they know the medicine (78.14%) and previous experience (64.48%). Most commonly used medicine for self-medication was antipyretics (83.06%) and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (64.48%). Conclusions: Self-medication is widely practiced among undergraduate medical students. There is need to create awareness by proper information through inclusion of this topic to academic course to halt this malpractice among medical students.