Assessment of self-medication patterns in a rural area of south India: a questionnaire based study

Abstract

Background: Self-medication is an important health issue especially in developing countries like India, where universal access to health care is yet to be achieved. It is a type of self care behavior, promoted by WHO, since it reduces the cost of treatment, physicians’ and patient’s time and reduces the burden on the understaffed health system. This study aimed at determining the prevalence and patterns of self medication in rural areas.Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in villages covered under rural health centre attached to a medical institution. By systematic random sampling, 458 people from 167 households were administered a pretested questionnaire after obtaining informed consent.Results: This study reports the prevalence of self medication to be 51.75%. Age, gender and marital status showed a statistically significant higher usage of self medication (p<0.01). Advice from friends, family and neighbours was the commonest mode of attaining self medication, while simple nature of disease was the common reason cited. Fever, myalgia and headache were the common symptoms reported where self medication was used. More than 90% of the respondents considered self medication to be harmless and acceptable (74.3%); and 92.8% would like to continue the practice in future.Conclusions: Self-medication is one of the common and preferred modes resorted to by the patients, which impacts medical care affecting diagnosis of underlying conditions resulting in delay of appropriate treatment. Awareness and education programs using mass media with involvement of community will help in the rational approach towards self medication.