Evaluation of Practice on Self-Medication among Allied Health Science Undergraduates of Sri Lanka, Therapeutic and Toxicity Implications

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of self-medication, classes of drugs used as self-medication, identify the patterns of self-medication practices, and examine sociodemographic characteristics, factors that correlate with self-medication and adverse drug reactions caused due to self-medication. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among Allied Health Science undergraduates of Sri Lanka who have practiced self-medication during past 2 months prior to data collection. This study was conducted after obtaining the ethical approval from Ethics Review Committee, CINEC Campus, Malabe. The data were collected as a google form. According to the results, the percentage of the prevalence of self-medication was 59.45%. Commonly used medicines were analgesics, antipyretics (77.82%), expectorants, antitussives (36.95%) and antibiotics (24.34%). Some of the reasons why undergraduates practiced self-medication were influenced from previous experience (62.17%), previous doctor’s prescription (34.78%) and because of the convenience (30.87%). Headache (70%), gastritis (35.21%), running nose (27.82%) and fever (27.39%) were the main four conditions for using self-medication. The reported adverse drug reactions were headache (40.00%), vomiting (22.17%), nausea (20.43%) and diarrhea (13.04%). In conclusion, more than half of the respondents (70%) think that self -medication is safe yet, most participants faced with adverse drug reactions (56.72%). Therefore, we suggest educating the people and implement policies regarding selling, advertising, and the safe use of self-medicated drugs, to prevent the adverse drug reactions.