Self-medication: Is a serious challenge to control antibiotic resistance?

Abstract

According to the WHO, “Self-medication is an element of self-care based on selection and use of medicines by individuals to treat self-recognized illnesses or symptoms.” Antibiotics are necessary drugs in developing countries where most of the death due to infectious diseases. Growth of pathogen resistance in human to antibacterial drugs mainly due to the antibiotic self-medication and is a major reason for the transmission of antibiotic drug resistance. Self-medication with antibiotics can lead to irrational drug use, which exposes patients to drug interactions, development of drug resistance, and difficulties in diagnosing different diseases. Inadequate dose, less duration of treatment, and the often regarded as the irrational drug use practices in self-medication practice. Therefore, standard guidelines for the antibiotic use should be framed to reduce the human pathogen resistance along with proper educational programs in the community level to improve the knowledge of the patients about the adverse effects and consequences of self-medication practice. The review mainly focused to discuss the prevalence, commonly treated illnesses, source of antibiotic choice, antibiotic usage, causes of self-medication, consequences, the influence of resistance on economy and health of public, and different challenges. This paper also discusses the current scenario of antibiotic resistance and newer antibiotic development.