Abstract
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine is defined as safe and effective for the general public to use, without seeking therapy from a health professional. As primary social media and internet users, university and college students are more likely to be exposed to unverified sources of health information. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour of students at institutions of higher learning in Brunei with regard to the safe use of OTC medicines. A cross-sectional study was performed using a self-administered online questionnaire, adapted from the literature with additional information from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the educational resources in understanding OTC medicine for consumers. The questionnaire consisted of 4 sections: demographic information, knowledge of OTC medicines, attitudes, and practice. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. A total of 335 students returned a completed questionnaire. The students had a mean knowledge score of 7.1 out of 9, with more than half (53.4%) having good knowledge (knowledge score > 7), and only a small percentage (5.7%) with poor knowledge. Almost all of the students (99.7%) had a positive attitude toward OTC medicine use. Few of the students practiced improper habits in terms of OTC medicine use, such as not reading the instructions or taking more than the recommended dose. Awareness of proper OTC medicine use among students in institutions of higher learning is necessary to prevent the rise of inappropriate user practices.
Highlights
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are therapeutic products that pharmacies or retail outlets sell directly to consumers, unlike prescription medicines, which can only be dispensed based on a physician’s valid prescription [1]
The face validity of the online questionnaire was assessed by a pharmacist, an epidemiology/biostatistics lecturer, and a physician from the PAPRSB Institute of Health
This study assessed the safe use of OTC medicine and determined the knowledge, attitudes, and practice around OTC medicine among students from public institutions of higher learning in Brunei Darussalam
Summary
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are therapeutic products that pharmacies or retail outlets sell directly to consumers, unlike prescription medicines, which can only be dispensed based on a physician’s valid prescription [1]. OTC medications contribute to prevention and therapy for a broad spectrum of minor conditions, including but not limited to headaches, the common cold, musculoskeletal pain, allergies, and heartburn [2]. A regulatory agency chooses OTC medicines based on their safety and effectiveness profiles [3]. There are several important aspects of consumer practice of medication, including non-adherence, sharing of drugs, and self-medication. Self-medication involves a person purchasing medications to treat their symptoms without consulting a healthcare professional [4]. According to World Health Organization (WHO) drug information, Int. J.
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