Pattern Of Self-medication Research Articles

Prevalence and Patterns of Self-Medication with Antibiotics among People Visiting Dental Clinic, Kabul, Afghanistan

‌Background: Self-medication with antibiotics is a global public health issue particularly in developing countries where over 50% of antibiotics are dispensed over the counter. This class of drugs, which is the most important success of modern medicine, and saved millions of lives, is now losing its effectiveness owing to microbial resistance. It is an emergency alarm for developing countries which are in the top of morbidity and mortality list of infectious diseases. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of self-medication with antibiotics among people attending the Dental Teaching Clinic of Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2020. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among clients of the Dentistry Teaching Clinic of Kabul University of Medical Sciences. A census sampling method was used to select the participants for one month, November 2020. Data collection was done using a researcher-developed questionnaire to collect data on the prevalence and patterns of self-medication with antibiotics. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 24). Findings: The prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics was 30.1% in the past twelve months. The common reasons for self-medication with antibiotics were having a successful experience with medication, cost-saving, and lack of time. Toothache, sore throat, and cough were common health conditions that were self-medicated with antibiotics. Amoxicillin, metronidazole, and azithromycin were common antibiotics that were used for self-medication. Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics is high among people attending the Dental Teaching Clinic of Kabul University of Medical Sciences. Patterns of self-medication indicate the irrational practice of antibiotics.

DRUG MISUSE AND SELF-MEDICATION AMONG PHARMACY STUDENTS IN JORDAN

Aim: To estimate risks and prevalence of self-medication and potential abuse risk among pharmacy students in Jordanian Universities. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted with 450 students, selected using multistage sampling methods, from seven different universities. Data was collected by self-administrated questionnaires covering demographic and academic information, health-related information, use of self-medication, and pattern of self-medication among pharmacy students. Results: Out of 394 students who answer the questions, 76.9% reported that they had usually treated themselves in case of simple cases without physician or pharmacist consultation. Most commonly used drugs among the surveyed students were Paracetamol 60%, multivitamins supplement 74.25%, and herbal products 37.2%, combination of NSAIDs and Paracetamol 20.6%, and laxatives 19.4%. Cold and flu 25.5%, headache 22.3%, abdominal pain 7.9%, gastric pain 7.9%, cold and flu, headache, abdominal pain, and gastric pain 14.9% were the main conditions which contribute to self-medication practice. It was also found that Pharmacy students were over-confident with the type of cases they could treat without referral to a specialist physician, despite knowing that some of the symptoms may be due to serious health problems. Misuse of analgesics and laxatives was clear, and there was a weakness in knowledge of the indications for the use of the most common drug. Conclusions: The prevalence of self-medication among pharmacy students in Jordan is high, and medical teaching institutions need to educate students about the proper use of medicines. Strict legislation and more education on self-medication are necessary for effective use of medicines.

Self-medication for acne among Saudi Undergraduate University Students: A cross-sectional study.

Understanding the perceptions and practices associated with self-medication among undergraduate university students is of significant importance since there is evidence showing that self-medication is prevalent among this group. The aim of this study is to evaluate the perceptions and extent of self-medication among undergraduate university students as well as assess their knowledge and patterns of self-medication for acne. A cross-sectional study was conducted with undergraduate university students aged between 18 and 25 years. Students were briefed about the purpose of the study, and a pretested questionnaire was used for assessment. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 25. Five hundred and nineteen students participated in this study. Approximately 55.3% had self-medicated, and 38.2% of the participants reported self-medicating because they thought the situation was simple and did not require a doctor's visit. Adapalene was the most commonly administered medication (53%). Furthermore, 74.7% of the respondents said that they saw improvement after treatment. A high percentage of students self-medicate their acne, many of whom use medication without a prescription. However, inappropriate use of drugs can increase the risk of adverse effects.

A study on self-medication in ophthalmic emergencies in the rural population of South India

ABSTRACT Background: Self-medication has been defined as the taking of drugs, herbs, or home remedies on one’s own initiative and advice from another person without consulting a medical specialist. The objective of the study was to identify the pattern of self-medication in ophthalmic emergencies in patients attending the emergency department in a peripheral rural setup in south India. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive, cross–sectional, questionnaire-based observational study. The patients selected were above 18 years of age. Informed consent was taken. A questionnaire on the demographic characteristics, level of literacy, history of the ophthalmic condition for which the patient had self-medicated, type of self-medication resorted to , reasons for resorting to ocular self–medication, and the adverse effects reported were all noted in the study. Results: The study included 100 subjects. Fifty-three percent were male and 47% were female. Among the 100 subjects, 10% of the individuals were educated above primary school level. Thirty-five percent had only primary school level education and the remaining 55% had not been to a formal school and had no basic education. Among our respondents, the most commonly used self-medication was antibiotic drops (24%), followed by expired medication (23%). 20% used steroid drops. 15% had tried traditional eye medication (TEM). Herbal and other indigenous medications were used by 12% of the responders. 7% used oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug agents. None of the responders were aware of the adverse effects of self-medication. The most common ophthalmic emergency symptoms faced by our responders were excessive watering (37%), pain (28%), foreign body in the eye (14%), redness and discharge (12%), decreases vision (5%), and pain in the eye (4%). The common reasons given by our responders for not accessing health-care facilities were distance (living far from health-care facilities), advice from family and friends, belief if local healers, lack of finances and poverty, and lack of prioritizing health care. Following self–medication, 30% of the patients had infectious keratitis, 28% had conjunctivitis, 25% had epithelial defects, and 17% glaucoma. Conclusion: Irrational long-term use of drugs/traditional eye medicine or even the usage for ophthalmic emergencies can have dangerous visual outcomes. The study highlights the need of effective execution and establishment of high-quality accessible primary eye care services and health-care referral network in rural India.

Pattern of Self-medication among Undergraduate Medical Students: A Cross-sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: Self-medication is one of the major emerging health problems. It may lead to many health hazards as well as resistance to antimicrobial agents. Lack of enough report on self-medication in medical students has encouraged to conduct this study. The study aims to find out the pattern, perception and reasons for self-medication in undergraduate medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive crosssectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students at Janaki Medical College and Teaching Hospital (JMCTH) from February 2022 to April 2022. A pre-validated questionnaire was used for data collection and was analyzed using SPSS. RESULTS: Total of 134 students participated in this study, with mean age of21.70±1.66 years. 90.3% of students practiced self-medication in last 6 months. Mild nature of disease was the most common reason for self-medication. Fever (65.67%) was the most common cause of self-medication, whereas NSAIDS (45.9%) was most commonly used drugs for self-medication. Pharmacist (52.9%) were the most common source of drug information. Nausea/vomiting (32.09%) was the most common adverse effect experienced by participants. 80.6% thought that selfmedication was a part of self-care. More than one-third had opinion that self-medication was recommended by WHO. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of students practiced self-medication. More than half of them prescribed medication to others. Medical students should be made aware of the harmful effects of self-medication.

Pattern of Self-medication in Primary Dysmenorrhea among Nursing Students at a Nursing College in Eastern Nepal

Pattern of Self-medication in Primary Dysmenorrhea among Nursing Students at a Nursing College in Eastern Nepal

Sex differences in associations between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia.

Self-medication of pain with alcohol is prevalent, and expectancies for alcohol analgesia likely influence pain relief and alcohol consumption. Hazardous alcohol use has been associated with greater delay discounting rates; however, little is known about the relationship between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Therefore, the present study examined sex differences in associations between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Healthy drinkers without chronic pain (N = 53) completed measures of expectancies for alcohol analgesia, alcohol use, and alcohol outcome expectancies. A five-trial adjusting-delay discounting task (DDT) for monetary outcomes was also administered. Regression analyses revealed that sex moderated the relationship between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Steeper delay discounting rates were associated with weaker expectancies for alcohol analgesia among men when adjusting for average alcohol consumption. Among women, nonsignificant associations between delay discounting rates and expectancies for alcohol analgesia were observed. These findings provide initial evidence of sex differences in associations between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. The directionality of these associations was unexpected and may have implications for patterns of self-medication with alcohol. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Trends Toward Self-Medication Practices During Covid-19 In Gujranwala District

In Gujranwala, self-medication is a prevalent practice since it offers a low-cost alternative for individuals, and it entails the incorrect and irresponsible use of medications to cure self-recognized symptoms. It is also noteworthy that SM has both positive and negative aspects that affect the life of people. Objectives: To determine the occurrence, pattern, and sources of self-medication among respondents with all socioeconomic statuses and educational levels. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey on 535 residents of the targeted region was undertaken from June to November 2021 in Gujranwala district. We analyze our data by using SPSS and find mean values of our different variables and also find the frequencies and percentages the variables for achievement of our desired results. Results: As COVID-19 preventive, 44 (8.7%) respondents self-medicated with penicillin, and only 4 (0.8%) with paracetamol. When COVID-19 symptoms appeared, the pattern shifted, with azithromycin having the highest rate of self-medication of 49 (9.75%) of all drugs. When people were diagnosed with COVID-19, 12.5% used azithromycin, and 10.3% used penicillin. Conclusions: This study found a significantly high level of SM among men in Gujranwala district. Analgesics, particularly paracetamol and Ibuprofen, were the most often utilized medications for SM.

A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Self-Medication Patterns during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ecuador.

Background and Objectives: Drug consumption is a widely developed practice around the world. However, sometimes medicines are acquired with or without prescription, a practice termed self-medication, which can have negative impacts on the health of the population. It has been observed that with the arrival of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, self-medicated drug consumption figures increased in several countries. To describe the patterns of medication, use and the prevalence of self-medication during the COVID-19 pandemic in inhabitants of the capital province of Pichincha, Ecuador. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted based on a self-administered online questionnaire from April to June 2022, among residents of the province of Pichincha, Ecuador. Participants were invited through social networks (WhatsApp and Facebook). A total of 401 surveys were included in this study. Consumption patterns (prescription of and treatment with) of medicines during the pandemic were evaluated, as well as the prevalence of self-medication and variables that characterize the way of acquiring medicines. The Chi-square test was used to look for relationships between consumption patterns, self-medication, and the characteristics of the participants. Results: Most participants were female (53.4%), and 59.4% reported having had COVID-19. A total of 244 (60.9%) consumed medications during the pandemic, mostly for the purpose of treating the infection. About half (48.4%) self-medicated. The most used medications were paracetamol (87.3%) and ibuprofen (47.5%). Drugs consumption as a treatment and informal sources of information (TV, social networks, advice) were associated with the practice of self-medication (p < 0.05). Conclusions: A significant percentage of over-the-counter (OTC) and legal drug use was found to persist after the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings highlight the effects that alternative forms of information sources other than medical personnel can have on drug consumption and self-medication practices.

Modern machine learning approaches on self- medication practices

Self medication is a self care practice, in which anseparate takes medicines on own without proper knowledge of medication. The most frequent disease for self medication are fever, headache, cough, cold etc., Self medication not only means purchasing non-prescribed drugs but also refers to self medicating oneself over food or other substances like caffeine and alcohol. This study was assumed to regulate the details for self-medication and the pattern of self-medication amongst medical, engineering and arts students. To implement machine learning techniques self medication practices among medical and non medical students in South India. The current study was a cross-sectional study which was showed for a period of one year between patients hospitalized at RVSIMS Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. Sample size taken was 744 and the sample size was collected by google forms. Data was composed using a consistentsurvey. Data entered in MS Excel and analyzed using Weka 3.8.3 and results interpreted. The machine learning algorithm recommends that a novel approaches of self medicine practices among medical and non medical students in South India. The present study was conducted to discover knowledge, occurrence and attitude of self medicine among medical and nonmedical students of RVSIMS Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.

Prevalence and Patterns of Self-Medication during COVID-19 Pandemic Amongst Pharmacy Students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: Self-medication prevalence and characteristics during the ongoing pandemic have been assessed and documented in some countries for COVID-19 treatment; little is known of this practice among pharmacy students who are estimated to have higher knowledge of medications and their use. This study aims to assess self-medication prevalence and pattern during COVID-19 pandemic in this population. Materials and Methods: following IRB approval, a descriptive, cross-sectional study was implemented, and a survey link was distributed among pharmacy students enrolled at King Abdulaziz University, from 1/1/2021 to 17/2/2021. Questionnaire items included (1) students’ demographic, (2) self-medication prevalence during the pandemic, (3) medications, vitamins and supplements used (pre and post infection), (4) source of information, and (5) how long they used the medication for. Results: A total of 270 students completed the survey (39.9% response rate). Majority were between 21–23 years of age (63.7%), female (70%), and single (97%). A total of 149 (55.2%) students practiced self-medication during COVID-19 pandemic. Most used supplements were vitamin C (38.9%), followed by multivitamins (22.2%) and vitamin D (18.1%). Most used OTC medication was paracetamol (26.3%) whereas, most prescription medication used was anxiolytics (4.8%), and antibiotics (3.3%). Most relied on personal knowledge for their practice (77.18%) and continued taking the supplement for less than a month (56%). Moreover, 9.3% (n = 25) were tested positive for COVID-19 and self-medicated with: vitamin C 44% (n = 11), zinc 24% (n = 6), and aspirin 12% (n = 3). Conclusion: Although most used supplements and OTC medications during the pandemic; there was a minority who did use prescription medications, such as anxiolytics, antibiotics and antidepressants which raise concerns over their unattended use and mandate awareness of risks associated with these medications.

Incidence, pattern and determinants of self-medication for fevers in children: A survey of caregivers in an emergency unit in Benin City, Nigeria

Self-medication is common in medically underserved areas, with disastrous consequences. It is necessary to determine the frequency and risk factors in our area. The purpose of this study was to find out the frequency, pattern, and risk factors for self-medication for febrile childhood illnesses among caregivers seen in the emergency paediatric unit. A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used for this study. Participants included caregivers for children seen in the unit. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data, which included sections on demography, determinants, pattern, and reasons for self-medication, as well as actual reports of self-medication in the previous three weeks. In order to identify risk factors for self-medication, inferential analyses were performed. P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. The study included 153 caregivers, with an average (SD) age of 45.6 (13.8) years. Self-medication for fevers in children was 25.5%, with 20 (51.3%) of the children treated being under the age of five. Antipyretics (20.3%) and antimalarials (13.7%), particularly artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), were the most commonly used drugs. Place of residence (p= 0.011), living arrangement (p= 0.030), and awareness of an adverse drug event (p= 0.045) are factors that influence self-medication in the previous three weeks. Having health insurance, NHIS (OR = 2.734, 95% CI: 1.120-6.678; p=0.027), and using an insecticide-treated net (OR = 0.272, 95% CI: 0.117-0.634; p=0.003) are also independent predictors of self-medication. With multifactorial determinants in the setting, self-medication is common. There is a need for increased access to subsidized healthcare for children, as well as caregiver education on the potential harms of self-medication.

Self-Medication Patterns during a Pandemic: A Qualitative Study on Romanian Mothers' Beliefs toward Self-Treatment of Their Children.

Self-medication represents a significant healthcare and health policy issue worldwide, both in developed and underdeveloped countries. Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic is considered a relevant context that could subtly trigger self-medication behavior because of limited access to health care services and the threat of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While the previous research conducted with quantitative methodologies reported a dramatically increased rate of self-medication around the world, qualitative inquiries on the subjective experience with self-medicine remain scarce in medical and related fields of study. For this purpose, a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was undertaken to better understand how Romanian mothers (n = 18) applied self-treatment with their children by avoiding medical advice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect the prevalence of self-medicine among the pediatric population as parents achieved a degree of awareness of self-treatment of their children due to the general context of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pattern of Self-medication and Associated Factors: A Study in Islamabad, Pakistan

The main objective was to identify the pattern of self-medication (use of medicinal products without prescription) and it’s associated socio-demographic factors (income, geographical area, gender, education level, e.t.c.) A cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 40 participants. Multi-stage sampling technique was used and sample was selected from 5 sectors and 5 sub-areas of the city. Univariate analysis was conducted for descriptive statistics. Two bivariate regression models were used. Self-medication and it’s relation to COVID-19 was also analysed. Most common symptoms for which self-medication was practised included headaches and migraines (27.27%) Results were analysed through SPSS version 26. Prevalence of self-medication behaviours in Islamabad was estimated to be 70%. Knowledge, perceptions and attitudes related to self-medication were also analysed. People who reported self-medication behaviours often receive information through internet and social media. Self medication rate is more prevalent in women, persons who are married, and in people with existing co- morbid conditions.

A cross-sectional study on COVID-19-related changes in self-medication with antibiotics.

Dental treatments have been limited to emergency care in many countries worldwide due to the global rapid spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Fear of contracting the disease in dental clinics has also altered the pattern of dental visits and self-medication. The present study compared self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) and the pattern of dental visits before and after the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic in a referral dental clinic in the north of Iran. The data for the present cross-sectional study was collected from 756 patient records retrieved from the archives of the Faculty Clinic of Rasht School of Dentistry during two separate periods: before the COVID-19 pandemic from mid-November 2019 to mid-February 2020, and after the pandemic emergence from mid-April to mid-July 2020. In addition to demographic variables namely age, gender, and place of residence of patients, their smoking status, chief complaint, and SMA were also extracted from patient records. The Chi-square test and binary logistic regression models with 95% confidence interval served for statistical analysis. In total, 756 patient records (412 records from the pre-pandemic period and 344 records from the post-pandemic period) were evaluated. SMA was significantly more prevalent after the pandemic compared to that before pandemic (OR = 3.39, 95% CI = 2.43-4.73, P<0.001). The number of patients who smoke significantly decreased after the pandemic by 6.6% compared to that in pre-pandemic period. Dental pain, pus discharge, and abscess as the chief complaints of patients were significantly more prevalent during the post-pandemic period; while, dental checkups, tooth hypersensitivity, and esthetic dental problems were significantly more frequent as the chief complaints of patients during the pre-pandemic period. There is indication that during the COVID-19 pandemic, SMA and prevalence of acute dental problems in patients have increased. With regard to the consequences of SMA, there is a need to raise public awareness on this matter.

Determine the self-medication pattern among children

Aim: To determine the self-medication pattern among children. Methods: This study was conducted in the department of Pediatrics after obtaining due approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee; Bhima Bhoi Medical college &amp; Hospital, a tertiary care teaching hospital of Western Odisha. All children from one month to fourteen years who attended the OPD were deemed eligible. Demographic and clinical characteristics were presented as frequencies and percentages. The prevalence of self-medication was represented as a percentage with a 95% confidence range. The Pearson chi-square test was used to examine the relationship between demographic characteristics and outcome variables, and a p-value less than 0.05 was deemed significant. Results: Out of the 400 children in the research, 130 had received self-medication from caregivers in the previous month, implying a 32.5 percent prevalence of self-medication. Fever was the most prevalent ailment for which self-medication was used in 320 children (80%), followed by cough and cold in 248 children (62 percent). Paracetamol was the most widely used drug, with 272 youngsters using it (68 percent). Cough and cold medicine was taken by 100 children (25%), while antibiotics were utilized by 90 children (22.5 percent) The average number of drugs utilized per patient was 1.6.

Assessment of self-medication practice for oral health problems among people of Varanasi, Uttar-Pradesh, India

Background: Self medication has been practiced for centuries in both industrialized and under developed countries. There are lots of literatures indicating people awareness regarding abuse of medicines and antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription, but there has not been much study conducted for dental illness. The present study aimed to gather information about self-medication pattern among people of Varanasi, Uttar-Pradesh and to identify the measures to curb these life-threatening practices.Methods: An observational based cross-sectional study was carried out in OPD of Faculty of Dental Sciences, IMS, BHU, Varanasi. The sample size comprised of 500 respondents. The SPS software was used to code, input, and analyze all descriptive data. Descriptive data analysis was performed and the results were provided as frequencies and percentage.Results: The response of survey received a perfect score of 100%. The prevalence rate of self medication was found to be 56.2%. The main reason for engaging in such life threatening practice was lack of time and ignorance. Analgesia was the most commonly utilized type of medication. Out of 281, 84 patients sought basic care from a pharmacist, whereas 49.2% patient approached to visit dentist only when their problem continued.Conclusions: The prevalence rate was higher in male than female. Controlling self-medication requires patient health awareness initiatives, community pharmacist help, and pharmacist continuing education. There is a need for intervention planning to encourage rational self-medication through mass media such as newspapers, magazines and TV.

Study to determine self-medication pattern and drug use behavior in rural areas of Etawah district

Background: According to William Osler, a great feature which distinguishes man from animals is the desire to take medicine. Self-medication is an age-old practice. According to world health organization guidelines “Self-medication is defined as use of medicinal products by the individuals to treat self-recognized disorders or symptoms, or the intermittent or continuous use of a medication prescribed by a physician for chronic or recurring diseases or symptomsMethods: The study population included study subjects from the rural areas of Etawah district. A total sample of 200 was recruited in the study based on 40×5 cluster sampling techniqueResults: most of the participants in rural areas 65% belong to the age group 20-39 years. Among the rural participants males were 134/200 (67.0%) and females were 66 (33%). Most of the participants in rural areas were married i.e. 76.0%. Most of the participants (50%) belonged to joint family followed by nuclear family (40%) in rural areas. Most common reason for self-medication practice in rural area most common reason for practice of self-medication was high fee which makes 29% (58) of all respondent and other reasons were Doctor/clinic away from home (27.5%), to save time (20.5%), medicine of family member (6%), no trust in doctor (0.5%) and pharmacist advice (3.5%).Conclusions: Most common age group indulged in the practice of self-medication was 20-39 year in rural study area.

Prevalence, pattern and predictors of self-medication for COVID-19 among residents in Umuahia, Abia State, Southeast Nigeria: policy and public health implications

BackgroundCOVID-19 has led to restrictions on movements and lockdown measures, which have resulted to higher utilization of over-the-counter drugs compared to prescription-only drugs. This study determined the prevalence, pattern and predictors of self-medication for COVID-19 prevention and treatment.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted between October and November 2021 among the residents of Umuahia, Abia State. The respondents were selected using a snowball sampling technique, and a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on the variables via Google forms. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were done using IBM SPSS version 26. The level of significance was set at 5%.ResultsA total of 469 respondents participated in the survey. The overall prevalence of self-medication for COVID-19 prevention and treatment was 30.3% (95%CI: 26.7–34.1). The most commonly used medication was herbal products (43.7%). This was mainly self-prepared (41.5%). The major source of information for self-medication was from family members (39.4%). The majority of the respondents reported fear of isolation (76.3%), followed by fear of stigmatization (75.7%) as the triggers of self-medication. Older age (aOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.11–3.13), lower educational status [No formal education (aOR = 3.78, 95% CI: 1.28–11.19)], [Primary education (aOR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.17–3.097)] and perception to cost (aOR = 2.29; 95CI: I.24–4.24) were the predictors of self-medication.ConclusionEvery one in three residents of Umuahia, Abia State, practiced self-medication for COVID-19 prevention and treatment. Some economic and socio-demographic factors were significantly associated with self-medication. We recommend intensifying public awareness campaigns on the risk of self-medication.

SELF-MEDICATION PATTERN OF ANTIBIOTICS AMONG THE PEOPLE OF IMPHAL WEST DISTRICT OF MANIPUR, INDIA

Background and aim: Self-medication with antibiotics is one of the growing issues in developing countries. Irrational use of antibiotics leads to development of resistance. Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat in management of infectious disease which leads to morbidity and mortality. Our study is to assess the self-medication pattern of antibiotic among the people of Imphal West district of Manipur. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1980 randomly selected people from populations of Manipur during September 2020. Data was collected using modified pre-structured questionnaire. Using SPSS software version 21, descriptive data analysis was done and expressed in frequencies and percentages. Result: In the study, female participants were more than male participants and majority were from the age group 18-30 years, educated and low-income group. Azithromycin was the most commonly used antibiotics followed by amoxicillin and clavulanic acid combination. Majority of them obtained the antibiotics from local pharmacies and was mainly recommended by the pharmacists. Only 16.92% of them faced mild adverse reaction. Around 65.04% of the participant considered that self-medication with antibiotics is not a safe practice. Conclusion: This study showed that antibiotics were easily accessible and many people were not aware about the antibiotic usage and risk of developing its resistance in Imphal West. Higher authorities need to enlighten the public about the rational use of antibiotics and the dangerous effects of self-medication to overcome the antibiotic resistance.