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Background and Aim: Self-medication practices (SMPs) are a common phenomenon prevalent with both prescription and nonprescription medicines. Still, the availability of a valid and reliable instrument to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices toward self-medication (SM) remains limited. The current pilot study aimed to develop and validate a tool that effectively evaluates these aspects among consumers in Delhi, India. Materials and Methods: The research involved 100 consumer participants from Delhi, India. Reliability and validity testing was conducted to assess reproducibility, internal consistency, and content validity. The questionnaire underwent validation by a panel of five experts to evaluate face and content validity. Results: Test--retest reliability was assessed using Karl Pearson's correlation co-efficient yielding values of 0.841 (P = 0.002), 0.827 (P = 0.003), and 0.792 (P = 0.006) for the three domains of knowledge, attitude, and frequency of performing SM, respectively. Cronbach's alpha statistics were used to determine internal consistency, yielding values of 0.775 and 0.839 for knowledge and attitude domains, respectively. The association between the demographic characteristics of respondents and knowledge, attitude, and frequency of SM was assessed using an independent sample t-test and one-way ANOVA, demonstrating satisfactory known group validity. Conclusions: The developed questionnaire proved valid and reliable for determining consumer's knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward SM. The final tool could be valuable for future research and interventions to improve consumers' understanding of SMP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-medication is a major concern for health authorities worldwide. The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Self-medication and its associated factors in a rural community of India. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional prospective community based unicentric study was designed and conducted for a period of 10 months from July 2022 to May 2023 in a newly established Drug Information and Patient Counseling Centre at a rural setup in India. The data was acquired; compiled and categorized. Continuous data were expressed as mean and standard deviation, while descriptive analysis was expressed as percentage. Results: Of the total 312 participants, 237 were found to have practiced Self-medication. Analysis of the data revealed that the prevalence of Self-medication in the region was 67.13%. People with a college degree (52.32%) and middle-class incomes (55.27%) were found to practice Self-medication in higher number. The most frequently used drugs for self-medication in the area were analgesics and antipyretics (24.05%), followed by acid suppressants (17.29%). Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of self-medication was determined to be 67.13%. It was noticed that a higher education did not prevent people from developing the habit of Self-medication; rather, it played a significant role in it. Therefore, in order to encourage the public to understand the serious consequences of Self-medication, the Drug control authorities and health policy makers need to invest some resources in this effort by engaging clinical pharmacists in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-medication is a universal phenomenon and is practiced globally with varied frequency. In several studies, it has been found that the potential disadvantage of self-medication is a waste of resources, increased resistance to pathogens, and causes serious health hazards such as adverse reactions and prolonged suffering. This study aimed to estimate the practice and factors associated with self-medication among the urban general population. Subjects and Method: This community based cross-sectional study was conducted among general population of Amreli city, Gujarat, India from February to November 2022. A total of 110 subjects were include in this study. The dependent variable is self-medication practice. The independent variables are education, occupation, economic class. Data were collected by face-to-face interview using a semi-structured questionnaire with a recall period of 6 months' experiences in 110 houses. Statistical analysis was done using Jamovi software. Results: Upper socio-economic class (OR= 1.74; 95% CI= 1.05 to 2.90; p= 0.031), highly educated (OR= 0.58; 95% CI= 0.41 to 0.83; p= 0.003) more likely to do self -medication than the lower socio-economic class and low education. Conclusion: Upper socio-economic and high education improve self-medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: According to WHO Self-medication can be defined as the use of drugs to treat self-diagnosed disorders, or the intermittent or continued use of a prescribed drug for chronic or recurrent disease or symptoms. Aim & Objective: To assess and improve the level of awareness regarding self-medication non-prescription medicines and over the counter drugs, to assess the prevalence and determinants of self-medication practices among undergraduate students. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study design was used to carry out a study at tertiary care centre. Methods and Material: Sociodemographic characteristics, self-medication knowledge and general questions on self-medication were asked from study participants. Statistical analysis used: SPSS software version 26. Self-medication knowledge was scored and categorized as excellent/good and poor knowledge. Comparison of knowledge scores among medical, nursing and physiotherapy students was done using ANOVA test. Results: The prevalence of OTC drug usage was found out to be 304(79.4%). Highest prevalence was noted amongst medical students i.e., 186(83.4%) followed by nursing and physiotherapy students which were similar at 55(73.3%) and 63(74.4%) respectively. Mean knowledge scores of MBBS, nursing and physiotherapy students showed significant results with F-statistic value of 21.63 (p=0.00). Conclusions: Self-medication happens to be a common practice among medical and paramedical students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was conducted to explore doctors' perceptions and understanding of the self-medication practices of people living with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A qualitative research design incorporating 20 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with doctors treating people with type 2 diabetes in Mysuru, India, between July 2019 and January 2020. All the interviews were conducted in doctors' clinics, audio-recorded and thematically analyzed. Results: Three themes were identified from these interviews- i) Doctors' beliefs towards their patients' use of traditional medicine and environmental factors influencing prescription practices, ii) Doctors reported little faith in traditional medicines, iii) Limited strategies implemented by doctors to overcome barriers to self-medications. Doctors reported greater belief in western medications over traditional medications and expressed concern that their patients favored traditional medications over western. Multiple factors such as social media, accessibility of healthcare facilities and pill burden influenced adherence to western medications. Also, lack of knowledge about traditional medications and trust in western medications available under government schemes have influenced prescription practices among doctors. It appears that doctors implemented strategies such as educating patients on the detrimental effects of self-medication and insisting on patients to take only western medications to achieve desired blood glucose levels when managing self-medication practices among people with diabetes. Conclusion: These results suggest that doctors have limited strategies to implement to prevent self-medication practices among people with diabetes. Increasing knowledge amongst doctors about JAS medication effectiveness and thereby garnering greater trust in generic medications. In addition, efforts should be made to identify the best ways to integrate traditional and western medicine into patient-centered care delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Medication use during pregnancy is a major concern in India and poor awareness is driven by non scientific information sources. Primary care providers play a role in providing information on risk of teratogenic and folate deficiency birth defects. Aim: To assess Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of pregnant women attending antenatal clinic regarding medication use and self-medication during pregnancy. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic in a tertiary care teaching hospital of Eastern India from August to October 2021. The study looked at sources of drug information, attitudes regarding medication use and practice of medication use and self-medication among pregnant mothers attending antenatal clinic of the hospital. Consenting women were enrolled in the study and the qualitative data gathered from the women were analysed using tools of descriptive statistics. Results: This study included 100 pregnant women with mean age of 22±2.0 years of which 42% were primigravida. Of the participants 80% had atleast high school education. Two third of the mothers 66% cited their family members as source of their drug information and 76% were aware of the risks of self-medication during pregnancy. Self medication practice was seen in 25% pregnant women mainly with Paracetamol use for pain or over-the-counter drugs to control acid reflux and morning sickness symptoms. All the participants (100%) took their iron and folic acid supplements as advised. Conclusion: The pregnant women attending the hospital showed adequate knowledge and satisfactory practices regarding medication use. Counselling of the mothers attending the clinic regarding drug use and possible harms to the mother and baby can help reduce long-term risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-medication, a rampant reality in developing countries such as India, requires attention to ensure safe use of medicines by patients. It is not always possible to visit a health care provider and not always needed also. Self-medication with non-prescription medicines is a common and accepted practice all over the world. It is therefore essential that adequate information is present on the label of non-prescription medicines so that the consumers can take appropriate decisions to self-medicate rationally. In our study, we analyzed 300 labels of non-prescription allopathic medicines in India, and checked for the presence, organization and ease of location of various important information for the benefit of the patient to make a right choice to consume the medicine. We found that in most of the labels, the information was not presented in an organized, easy to find manner. Further, a lot of information related to warnings, indications, purpose, dosing information, as is mandatory on the labels of non-prescription medicines of various other countries was not present on the labels. The non-availability of the correct information that guides the consumer to use these medicines rationally and responsibly is in a way denial of right to health. It is important therefore that necessary regulations and guidelines be put in place in India to ensure that the labels of non-prescription medicines should contain the necessary important information which is easy to locate, in the best interest of the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The WHO defines the use of medications without prior medical consultation regarding indication, dosage and duration of treatment as self-medication. The practice is a global problem. Aims and Objectives: The study was conducted to describe the care seeking behavior of rural self-medicators living in Amdanga Block of West Bengal and to assess the belief in medicines by the self-medicators. Material & Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted by interviewing with a pretested semi-structured questionnaire on 665 self-medicators out of 1740 adults who were interviewed in 80 villages of Amdanga Block, West Bengal. A three-stage sampling method was used to reach the study population. A three month recall on self-medication practice was considered operationalizing the "pull" and "push" factors of self-medicators using a Pshycho-social framework. The variables were Socio-demographic factors, Care Seeking Behaviors, Health System related factors, Belief in Medicines according to the framework. Results: The prevalence of self-medication was found to be 38.2%. 63% of the study subjects were female and 56.3% had a literacy status of middle school and above. 54.4% relied on their old prescription for self-medication. 68.7% had an initial choice to consult a doctor but later self-medicated of whom 53.2% changed their choice due to monetary and transport issues while 38.5% thought of self-medication considering their disease was mild in nature. Conclusion: Awareness and health education can link rural subjects with primary care facility and right decisions on care can be provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-medication is the use of nonprescription drugs to treat a disease by an individual. Amid the looming COVID-19 scenario in our country, wherein universal access to health care is not yet fully established, self-medication can lead to serious effects like antimicrobial resistance and is a matter of public health concern. Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the self-medication practices among the nonteaching faculty in a private dental college in Mangaluru, India. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted for a duration of 6 months. All the nonteaching faculty employed in AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences were included in the study employing the total enumeration sampling technique. A total of 57 participants were included in the study. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethical Committee. The participants not providing consent were excluded from the study. The data were obtained using a validated pretested self-administered questionnaire in Kannada language. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 23 for descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Around 50.8% of the participants often or regularly self-medicated. Males were found to practice self-medication higher than females, and this difference was found to be statistically significant (χ² = 11.088, P = 0.001). The most common reason cited for self-medication was that it was less costly (37, 64.9%). Doctors at the workplace (35, 61%) were the most common source of information. The most frequent symptoms provoking self-medication were aches in any body parts (32, 56.1%). The drugs most frequently consumed were analgesics (33, 57.9%), and 28 (49.1%) participants disagreed that self-medication was a safe practice. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the prevalence of self-medication was high among the study participants and it is an alarming situation. A holistic approach must be initiated at the grassroots level which would involve health promotion initiatives such as awareness campaigns and regulatory policies to tackle the implications of self-medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principles of medication management include storing, ordering, dispensing, and administration of the medications. Each of these steps is equally important to achieve the maximum benefits of the medicines. However, self-medication is common across the globe where these principles are severely compromised. Self-administration of medication is an approach in which an individual uses a medicine or drug to treat any symptoms or diagnosed disorder. It is an individual's initiative to take medicines without consulting a doctor and commonly used to gain personal independence and autonomy to treat minor illness. Its prevalence in developing countries is significantly high and ranges from 12.7% to 95%. This review examines self-medication practices among students of various health-care courses. The search criteria included studies published from 2008 to 2018. All studies that explored the use of self-medication practices among the Indian students of various health-care professions were retrieved. Three major databases Google Scholar, PubMed, and Shodhganga were searched. The keywords used for search included "self-medication," India, prevalence, students, medical, dental, nursing, pharmacology, and physiotherapy. In total, 106 articles were reviewed, 21 of these studies met the inclusion criteria. The number of total participants across all studies was 7271. Overall, 5875 (80.80%) participants were practicing self-medication. Analgesics, antipyretics, antibiotics, antacids, and anti-allergic drugs were commonly used drugs for self-medication. Some studies also revealed that students have poor knowledge regarding drug reactions, and this can significantly compromise patient safety. Whereas, the study reveals that the practice of self-medication among the students is alarmingly high. This presents a significant challenge to patient safety and also poses a threat to public health in view of ever-increasing antibiotics resistant. The government must take immediate actions to regulate over-the-counter medication availabilities and also ensure a wider education program for the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-medication in pregnancy is a common but unsafe practice. There is a possibility of surreptitious exposure of the developing fetus to the teratogenic and abortifacient effects of the drugs. Aims and Objectives: In this study, we assessed the prevalence and risk factors of self-medication in pregnant mothers visiting the antenatal clinic in our hospital. Materials and Methods: A standard questionnaire seeking information on the socio-demographic profile, clinical characteristics, laboratory data, and knowledge and habits was administered to the pregnant mothers (n=190). The risk factors of selfmedication were determined using Fischer's exact test. P<0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of self-medication in pregnancy was found to be 6.3%. Low education level (P<0.027), employed women (P<0.031), and history of miscarriage (P<0.036) in the previous pregnancy were the main determinants of self-medication in the present pregnancy. Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication in the study sample was low as compared to contemporary studies. High literacy (94.2%) and easy availability of health facility (98%) may be the possible reasons. Further studies are warranted to confirm the prevalence and risk factors of self-medication in this part of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the practice of self-medication for oral health problems in Uttar Pradesh, India.Materials and Methods: This multiregional cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted in four towns; Moradabad, Meerut, Ghaziabad and Bareilly over a 2-month period on 352 subjects. The questionnaire consisted of a demographic profile, questions related to problems of oral health for self-medication, substances used, source of the substance, duration, reason and source of advice for self-medication. The data were analysed using the chi-square test with significance set at p < 0.05.Results: The prevalence of self-medication was 72%. The source of substances in most of the cases was a pharmacy shop (62.5%). The most frequent self-medicated oral health problem was toothache (55.6%), followed by other problems, and the most frequently used substance was analgesics (59%). 49.8% self-medicated due to lack of money for consulting a doctor and 45% of the population received advice from the pharmacist for self-medication.Conclusion: The majority of those surveyed practiced self-medication using an array of drugs, e.g. analgesics, native herbs, antibiotics, etc, either alone or in combination. The main reason identified for self-medication was motivation from relatives and friends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-medication practice among pregnant women is a global concern. However, its understanding in the Indian context is limited due to a lack of comprehensive studies., Purpose: This study aimed to comprehensively assess the prevalence of self-medication, the medications used for self-medication, diseases/conditions associated with self-medication, and the reasons for self-medication among Indian pregnant women., Methods: This study was carried out following the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A thorough search was done in PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar to find articles that were published up until May 2023. Inclusion criteria comprised observational studies reporting self-medication prevalence among pregnant women in India. Data were extracted using a standardized sheet, and a random-effects model was applied to determine the overall prevalence of self-medication using R software. The I 2 statistic was employed to assess the heterogeneity among the studies., Results: This study analyzed eight studies with a collective sample size of 2208 pregnant women. The pooled prevalence of self-medication among pregnant Indian women was 19.3% (95% CI: 7.5%-41.3%; I 2  = 99%; p < 0.01). Common self-treated conditions were cold, cough, fever, headache, and stomach disorders. Antipyretics, analgesics, antihistamines, and antacids were frequently used for self-medication. The perception of mild ailment, immediate alleviation, convenience, time savings, and advice from family, friends, or the media were all reasons for self-medication. Local pharmacies were the most usual source for obtaining drugs, and pharmacists, family, friends, and past prescriptions were common sources of medicine information., Conclusions: A low yet substantial number of pregnant women in India are engaged in self-medication practices. Appropriate strategies need to be planned to reduce self-medication practices to attain sustainable developmental goals for maternal health in India., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

To assess the knowledge of drugs in first year BDS students during the course of their study. Online survey form was used to conduct the survey among 94 first year dental students in a Manav Rachna Dental College, a private dental college in north India. The students' responses were obtained in an online survey form which consisted of 16 questions which were related to the knowledge of drugs. Out of 94 students who completed the survey, 92.6% and 75.5% know the names of paracetamol and aspirin respectively. Antibiotics do not cure viral infections was reported by 59.6% of the students, whereas 85.1% reported that antibiotics treat bacterial infections and should be given in recommended dosage. 26.6% of the students report that antibiotics can be prescribed for pain, however 96.8% are aware that penicillin was the first antibiotic. 54.3% would consult a doctor in case of fever, but 38.3% would opt for self-medication. 71.3% of the students report that drugs are used for both prevention and cure of diseases. The results of the study lead to important facts which can be incorporated by the faculty involved in teaching Pharmacology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over the counter drug abuse is a growing problem and it needs more recognition. This current study is aimed to assess the pattern of over the counter drug usage among the patients attending Saveetha medical college hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Method: This cross-sectional questionnaire based study was conducted at Saveetha medical college and hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The patients who signed the informed consent form were the study participants, a total of 100 patients were involved. The study period lasted from 23rd January 2019 to 30th March 2019. After the data was obtained they were analyzed using Microsoft excel. Percentages and frequency were calculated. Result: A total of 100 filled questionnaires were collected from the study participants. Majority of the participants (63%) bought OTC drugs on occasion and the rest (37%) bought them always. Most of them (43%) consumed OTC drugs when the symptoms were minor/manageable, 33% of them whenever they felt sick and 24% when they couldn't go to a doctor. Many (41%) believed they could relieve fever by using OTC drugs, 20% to relieve nausea and 39% to relieve headache. Antipyretics (47%) were the most commonly consumed OTC drug. Most (38%) common reason for choosing OTC drug was to save time. Conclusion: This study helped gauge the general public's views on OTC drug usage and gives an idea about the amount of work that is yet to be done or has to be done to bring OTC drug abuse under control. It is almost obligatory to make the patients understand the detrimental effects of OTC misuse and abuse- and the most effective way to achieve this is by making the people aware of them in the first place. Even though OTC drug abuse is a largely recognized problem, we still have a long way to go in terms of actually solving it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Health science students are prone to self-medication due to easy accessibility to medicines, background medical knowledge, and their ability to diagnose illnesses. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has further encouraged this practice due to the fear of contracting the virus by visiting healthcare establishments., Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the perception and practices of self-medication among health science students during the background of the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2021 during the second wave of COVID-19. Data were collected using a Microsoft form circulated among students using WhatsApp or email., Results: The mean age of the 350 participants was 20.8 ± 1.5 years. About 165(47.1%) participants had self-medicated over the past one year. The most common mode of self-medication was using previous consultation notes [121(73.3%)]. The most common reason for self-medication stated was the mild nature of the illness [131(79.4%)]. Fifteen (9.1%) participants reported changes in medication from one to another during self-medication. Sixteen (9.7%) participants increased drug dosage during self-medication. Sixteen (26.2%) out of 61 participants who self-medicated with antibiotics did not complete the course. Forty-six (27.9%) out of the 165 participants were not aware of the adverse effects of the drugs being self-medicated on most occasions. One hundred and sixty seven (47.7%) of the total participants did not feel that self-medication practices are harmful. Ninety-five (27.1%) felt that self-medication practices are acceptable during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eighty-six (90.5%) of them thought so to avoid getting COVID-19 infection by visiting healthcare establishments. In multivariable analysis, participants in the final year and those with chronic morbidities were associated with self-medication practices., Conclusion: Self-medication practices were present among 47.1% of participants. More than onefourth of them were not aware of the side effects of self-medicated drugs on most occasions. About 47.7% participants felt that self-medication practices are not harmful and more than one-fourth of them felt that it was acceptable during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the students need to be made aware of the harmful consequences of self-medication., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Self-medication involves the use of medicinal products by a consumer to treat self-recognized disorders or symptoms or intermittent or continued use of a medication prescribed by a physician for chronic or recurring diseases or symptoms. Practicing self-medication for antibiotics is a major factor fueling the emergence of drug resistance. This study would help health-care providers in creating public awareness on the dangers of antibiotic abuse. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence and pattern of antibiotic self-medication in an urban population of Kerala. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in Thrippunithura municipality, Kerala. Data were collected from 755 adults by face-to-face interview using a questionnaire after obtaining consent. Data were entered in Excel and were analyzed using SPSS. Results: The percentage of respondents who practiced antibiotic self-medication was 3.31%. Males (4.1%), graduates (3.8%), and skilled workers (8.5%) were found to practice antibiotic self-medication. Majority took self-medication for sore throat (25%). Azithromycin (39%) was the major antibiotic used. Among the respondents, 36% used doctor's previous prescription to get antibiotics. The reason for antibiotic self-medication reported by majority was convenience (41%). Conclusion: Health education must be given to graduates and professionals, highlighting the problems due to antibiotic self-medication. With danger of antibiotic resistance developing, this is a major threat that has to be addressed urgently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role and the importance of health care systems is well recognized in modern era both in terms of the quality of life and social welfare as well as every day individuals are practicing self-medication in the form of self-care for our health. Self-medication is a human behaviour in which, an individual uses medicines to treat self-diagnosed small or minor ailments . Prevalence of such practices is alarmingly high in developing countries like India. In India, any drugs not included in the list of 'prescription-only' drugs are considered as non-prescribed medicines or Over the Counter (OTC) drugs. Anyone can buy medicines for self-treatment from local medical shops, which are also available in supermarkets and other retail shops. Also such medicines include cough and cold remedies, sunscreens etc. The study mainly aims to find out the awareness of people in regarding the usage of OTC drugs and the factors affecting self-medication practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-medication is a major public health concern which has increased at the community level, It may lead to delay in diagnosis as well as care seeking. Present study was undertaken to find out the prevalence and pattern of self medication practices among adult population in an urban area of Siliguri Municipal Corporation area of West Bengal. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 110 adults in urban areas of Siliguri Municipal Corporation area by purposive sampling. Results: The prevalence of self-medication among urban adults was found to be 47.2%. More than 50% of the study subjects had symptoms like fever and headache for resorting medication by him. Common drugs were antipyretic or paracetamol (65.4%), antacid (50%), anti-inflammatory (44,2%) or anti-allergic (42.3%), Significant association was found between occupational status (engaged in unskilled work) and self-medication. Conclusion: Self-medication practices are a dual sword to manage time, relieve overburdened medical practice and increased resistance of pathogens due to delayed diagnosis etc. Health educational activities should be initiated to encourage common people in order to utilize health care services from government facilities which are now made at a subsidized cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Management of childhood illness is different from that of adult diseases. Medications during infancy and early childhood should be very cautiously used. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the different patterns of medication use among the children up to 2 years of age in a rural community. Materials and Methods: This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted in a rural area of Assam where we randomly selected 380 children below 2 years of age. Results: Among 380 children, 203 reported suffering from any disease in the last 2 months. Total 105 children (51.7%) were treated with allopathic medicines while 66 children (32.5%) were treated with AYUSH medication and 32 (15.8%) were treated with home remedies. Antipyretics were (24%) the most common drug used followed by oral rehydration salt (21.5%) (ORS) and antibiotics (15.5%). Parents of 44 children (21.7%) practiced self-medication. Only in 62.5% of the cases, full compliance to prescribed medicines was seen. Conclusion: High prevalence of traditional therapy, self-medication, and noncompliance among the children in a rural area indicated the role of health education to parents, especially the mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interest in self-care, poor economic conditions,health-seeking behavior, socio-cultural factors, ignorance, excessive advertisement on drugs and availability of drugs in other than medical shops are responsible for the practice of Self-Medication. Aim and objectives: To find out prevalence of Self-Medication practice among rural people in Kanchipuram and to find out possible reasons for Self-Medication and factors influencing self-medication practice. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was done in five randomly selected villages in the field practice area of MMCH&RI. After getting informed consent, the questionnaire was administered to 250 households randomly. Results: Among 250 households surveyed, 47.6% (119) respondents were in the age group of 20-40 years, 56.8% (142) were females and 51.2% (128) households belong to the poor socio-economic class. The prevalence of self-medication in the sample was 58.4% (146). Younger age, higher educational status, and higher socioeconomic status were associated with higher prevalence. In this study, the main reason given for self-medication practice was the poor quality of care in Government hospitals (32.9%) followed by 26% of subjects said they treat themselves for similar illness from previous experience etc. The common symptoms for taking self-medication were fever (39.8%) and headache (23.45%). Majority of them (74%) kept the medicines in closet and few (15.2%) kept in bags. Commonly taken medicines are fever relieving drugs (39.04%) and cough syrups (28.08%). Adverse drug effects which were commonly encountered due to self-medication are gastritis (39.04%), rash and swelling (29.45%), sedation (15.06%) and increase in symptom (16.43%). Among the people who took painkillers, 59% of them experienced gastritis. Conclusion: Increased prevalence of self-medication even among rural people may lead to consequences such as drug interactions, drug dependence and drug resistance due to irrational use of drugs and causes increased morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the extent, pattern and determinants of non-prescription medicine use in an urban area of eastern India. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey with total 392 subjects was carried out for 3 months by a structured questionnaire to assess the extent, pattern and determinants of non-prescription medicine use amongst the patients at a community retail medicine shop and a pharmacy running in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in a government hospital. Results: Our study found that 61.4% of the consumers indulged in the practice of self-medication. The commonest reason for self medication was a prevailing tendency in the community followed by cost-saving and convenience. The most commonly used medicines were antacids (43.4%) followed by analgesics-antipyretics (42.6%). It was found that only 12.5% completed an ongoing course of antibiotics. Consumption of ORS was commoner in diarrhoea than vomiting and only a few (13%) of the patients dissolved the ORS powder as directed. Only 9.7% of the subjects thought non-prescription medicine use is safe. Regarding the various types of medicine preparations used by them from the two types of pharmacy, a significant difference was noted only for eye drops (p = 0.003). This result might have been obtained due to prevailing ocular infections in the selected study population and underreporting at the Ophthalmology OPD of the nearest hospital. Conclusion: The current study has documented the extent of, factors associated with, and the pattern of non-prescription medicine use resulting in a surge of self-medication practice in urban area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-medication can lead to many problems and has many concerns associated with it including development of drug resistance. Aims & Objectives: To assess the prevalence of self-medication practices among people residing in selected urban and rural areas of Ernakulam district, to assess the pattern of use of selfmedications and to determine the differences, if any, between the rural, urban and slum population in the prevalence and pattern of use of self-medications. Material & Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted and 539 individuals from urban, rural and urban slums of Ernakulam district, Kerala were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data was tabulated in MS Excel and analysed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 15. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage was used to summarize the data. Univariate and multivariate analysis was done to assess the factors associated with selfmedication. Results: In the study, 21.5% (114/539) reported that they practised self-medication within last three months. Major indications for self-medication were aches and pain (28.9%), fever (22.8%) and chronic diseases (13.7%). Among those who practised self-medication, 6.1% (7/114) used antibiotics. In the final logistic regression model, being in urban area [urban areas (OR 5.8, 95% CI 3.2-10.4), urban slums (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.5-5.4)] and increasing age groups [18-59 years (OR 2.1 95% CI 1.1-3.8) and more than 60 years (OR 3.2 95% CI 1.6-6.5)] were associated with self-medication practices. Conclusion: Holistic approach should be taken to prevent the problem of self-medications, which includes proper awareness and education to public, improving access to care and regulation of pharmacies regarding sale of drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on a medical study conducted to analyze attributes related to self medication practices in population of South Karnatka, India. Topics discussed include pattern of drug usage, economic aspects related to opioid analgesics, medical effect of homeopathic medicines, and irrational utilization of drugs in tertiary care hospitals.

Background & objectives: The evidence-base of the impact of community-based health insurance (CBHI) on access to healthcare and financial protection in India is weak. We investigated the impact of CBHI in rural Uttar Pradesh and Bihar States of India on insured households' self-medication and financial position. Methods: Data originated from (i) household surveys, and (ii) the Management Information System of each CBHI. Study design was "staggered implementation" cluster randomized controlled trial with enrollment of one-third of the treatment group in each of the years 2011, 2012 and 2013. Around 40-50 per cent of the households that were offered to enroll joined. The benefits-packages covered outpatient care in all three locations and in-patient care in two locations. To overcome self-selection enrollment bias, we constructed comparable control and treatment groups using Kernel Propensity Score Matching (K-PSM). To quantify impact, both difference-in-difference (DiD), and conditional-DiD (combined K-PSM with DiD) were used to assess robustness of results. Results: Post-intervention (2013), self-medication was less practiced by insured HHs. Fewer insured households than uninsured households reported borrowing to finance care for non-hospitalization events. Being insured for two years also improved the HH's location along the income distribution, namely insured HHs were more likely to experience income quintile-upgrade in one location, and less likely to experience a quintile-downgrade in two locations. Interpretation & conclusions: The realized benefits of insurance included better access to healthcare, reduced financial risks and improved economic mobility, suggesting that in our context health insurance creates welfare gains. These findings have implications for theoretical, ethical, policy and practice considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim was to study and compare knowledge, attitude and practices regarding self-medication in healthcare and nonhealthcare university students. Methods: Suitably constructed, structured and pretested questionnaires were distributed to 350 students in each group; data were documented in SPSS software version 20.0 and analyzed using χ2-test and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Completed questionnaires only were analyzed, which were 314 and 310 in healthcare and nonhealthcare groups, respectively. The majority of students practiced self-medication (84.4% vs. 68.1%; p < 0.001) with the most common indications being fever (46.4% vs. 37.9%; p < 0.001) and cough and common cold (30.9% vs. 37%; p = 0.004). Most commonly self-medicated drugs were antipyretics (67.9% vs. 52.6%; p = 0.03) and multivitamins (28.7% vs. 16.8%; p < 0.001). A few of them experienced adverse drug reactions due to self-medication (6.8% vs. 1.9%; p < 0.001). Independent risk factors for self-medication were younger age group (OR = 2.93, CI 95% 1.09-7.85), storage of medicines at home (OR = 2.49, CI 95% 1.21-5.12), healthcare students (OR = 2.54, CI 95% 1.72-3.74), higher knowledge scores (OR = 1.65, CI 95% 1.08-2.52), those consuming homeopathic preparations (OR = 9.19, CI 95% 1.24-68.11), multivitamins (OR = 6.7, CI 95% 2.88-15.6) or health supplements (OR = 6, CI 95% 2.15-16.74), participants who strongly agreed that self-medication is a part of self-care (OR = 3.97, CI 95% 1.56-10.09), and those self-medicating with an old prescription for same illness (OR = 0.04, CI 95% 0.01-0.15) or over advice from home (OR = 0.11, CI 95% 0.04-0.3). Conclusions: Though self-medication is common in university students, there is a dearth in their knowledge regarding the same. This highlights the need for increasing awareness among students regarding hazards of self-medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the prevalence, pattern, and awareness of self-medication practices among patients presenting at oral health outreach programs in coastal Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study, based on an interview conducted in randomly selected 400 study subjects from the patients presenting at these oral health outreach programs. Data were collected regarding demographic information and the interview schedule consisting of 14 questions was administered. Results: Prevalence of self-medication was 30%. Respondents' gender (χ2 = 5.095, P < 0.05), occupation (χ2 = 10.215, P < 0.05), the time from the last dental visit (χ2 = 8.108, P < 0.05), recommendation of drug(s) to family members or friends (χ2 = 75.565, P < 0.001), and the likelihood of self-medication in the next 6 months (χ2 = 80.999, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with self-medication. Male respondents were less likely to have undertaken self-medication (odds ratio = 0.581 [0.361, 0.933]). The frequently self-medicated drug was analgesics (42.5%) for toothache (69.2%). The regression model explained 39.4% (Nagelkerke R2) of the variance in self-medication practices. Conclusions: Prevalence of self-medication was 30% with demographic influence. Hence, this study highlights the policy implications for drug control by government agencies and stresses on the need for dental health education to discourage irrational drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-medication is one of the major health concerns worldwide and World Health Organization has laid emphasis on correctly investigating and controlling it. There is much public and professional concern regarding self-medication practices, which has dramatically increased in the last few decades, especially in the developing countries. Hence, this study was designed to study the prevalence and practice of self-medication practices in an urban area of Delhi, India. Materials and Methods: A crosssectional study was conducted in March 2013 and data were collected by personal interviews using pretested questionnaires. An urban colony in the south district of Delhi was chosen and the eldest member of the family, present at the time of the visit was interviewed. Data were collected from 236 persons and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: The prevalence of self-medication was 92.8% (95 confidence interval: 66.5-79.4). 74.9% preferred allopathic medicines. Self-medication was found to be practiced more among younger persons than older age group persons (P = 0.000). Graduates and postgraduates practiced self-medication more than others (P = 0.002). Common cold (61.6%) and fever (51.8%) were the most common ailments for which self-medication were practiced. Paracetamol and cough syrups were the most commonly used class of drugs. Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication in this study was high. Drugs especially antimicrobials were not taken for the proper length of time. Awareness regarding self-medication practices to help patients decide on the appropriateness of self-medication is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Self-medication is mostly prevalent in the low- and middle-income population segments of developing countries, thus reflecting the status of health services. Self-medication has frequently been held responsible for inducing drug resistance, higher cost of further treatment, and other complications. The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes self-medication in rural and remote areas to reduce the burden of health services. In this study, the researchers sought to establish the prevalence, consequences, and causes of self-medication. Methods: Multicenter, institution-based, cross-sectional study conducted with 456 participants in May, 2013 at the outpatient clinics of 2 Government homeopathic medical colleges in West Bengal, India. A pilot-tested structured questionnaire consisting of 12 self-administered questions in local vernacular Bengali was used; 8 were close-ended questions providing multiple answer options, while 4 were open-ended. Results: Overall, 12.7% of interviewees admitted to perform self-medication; 57.7% and 66.0% had appropriate knowledge of the medicines and dose regimens, respectively. Females (64.3%) predominated and self-medication was mostly found in age range 31-45 years old (32.5%). Conventional Western medicine (82.2%) was most preferred therapy, and fever (35.7%), hyperacidity (25.4%) and loose stool (24.3%) the most frequently reported complaints. The main causes for self-medication were feeling no need to consult doctor (32.5%), busy schedule (16.4%), family members advice (16.0%), over-the-counter (OTC) availability of medicines without prescription (12.5%), direct consumer pharmaceutical advertisement (12.1%), and high expenditure in private institutes (10.1%). The chi-square distribution of determinants across the two samples differed significantly. The tendency increased proportionately with literacy (Yates' ?2=175.731; p=0.000) and poverty (Yates' ?2=426.817; p=0.000). Conclusion: The results reflect the knowledge, attitude, and practice of self-medication among the participants. Further studies should be undertaken in larger samples and different populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-medication is a widely prevalent practice in India. It assumes a special significance among medical students as they are the future medical practitioners. Aim: To assess the pattern of self-medication practice among undergraduate medical students. Settings and Design: Tertiary care medical college in West Bengal, India. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among the undergraduate medical students. Results: Out of 500 students of the institute, 482 consented for the study and filled in the supplied questionnaire. Fourteen incomplete questionnaires were excluded and the remaining 468 analyzed. It was found that 267 (57.05%) respondents practiced self-medication. The principal morbidities for seeking self-medication included cough and common cold as reported by 94 students (35.21%) followed by diarrhea (68 students) (25.47%), fever (42 students) (15.73%), headache (40 students) (14.98%) and pain abdomen due to heartburn/ peptic ulcer (23 students) (8.61%). Drugs/ drug groups commonly used for self-medication included antibiotics (31.09%) followed by analgesics (23.21%), antipyretics (17.98%), antiulcer agents (8.99%), cough suppressant (7.87%), multivitamins (6.37%) and antihelminthics (4.49%). Among reasons for seeking self-medication, 126 students (47.19%) felt that their illness was mild while 76 (28.46%) preferred as it is time-saving. About 42 students (15.73%) cited cost-effectiveness as the primary reason while 23 (8.62%) preferred because of urgency. Conclusion: Our study shows that self-medication is widely practiced among students of the institute. In this situation, faculties should create awareness and educate their students regarding advantages and disadvantages of self-medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective was to assess the self-medication patterns and drug use behavior in housewives belonging to the middle income group in a city of Haryana State in Northern India. Materials and Methods: A detailed questionnaire designed to assess the self-medication patterns and drug use behavior and interview technique was used to elicit the requisite information. One hundred housewives of the middle income group were interviewed in Rohtak. Results: Most of the housewives were in the habit of keeping the medicines though only 73% of them were in the habit of using it without any prescription. Also it was seen that those housewives who were taking self-medication were better educated than those not indulged in self-medication. All of them were using allopathic drugs on a regular basis while other modes of medications were less used. The self-medication was most commonly based on the previous prescriptions issued by the doctors followed by the suggestions from friends, advertisement on the television, and newspapers. For most of them the reasons for self-medication were financial restraints and lack of time to go to the medical practitioner. Conclusions: The study delineates the difference in the self-medication patterns and drug use behavior in housewives in a city of Northern India. The results emphasize the need for comprehensive measures for intervention strategies to promote rational drug therapy by improving prescribing patterns and influencing self-medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate patterns of dispensing of medicines from private community pharmacies in Tamilnadu and to identify and analyze problems in medicine supply or dispensing toward its rational use. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in two towns of Tamilnadu, India between July 10 and October 25, 2009. Medicines dispensed from 24 randomly selected pharmacies, each from a different area of two towns were investigated. Two 2 hour study visits were made. Data were collected by observations and interviews with pharmacists or drug retailers. Results: A total of 1160 medicines were dispensed; 44.2% on a doctors prescription and the remaining over the counter (26.9% on request by clients themselves and 28.9% on recommendations from pharmacists). Anti-infective agents were the most commonly dispensed (20.6% of all items), followed by medicines acting on the gastrointestinal system (18.2%), vitamins and nutritional supplements (10.9%), analgesics and antipyretics (10.5%). More than three-quarters of the anti-infective agents (n=188; 78.7%) were provided over the counter. The study indicates that 61.2% of prescription-only medicines were dispensed over the counter. Conclusions: Extensive supply of medicines (both prescription-only and over the counter) from private pharmacies, including those used for serious illnesses, has been observed. The study shows trends toward inappropriate dispensing. Educational and managerial interventions to improve dispensers' knowledge, professional behavior and attitudes are required to improve the situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infections caused by antibiotic resistance pose a serious global health threat, undermining our ability to treat common infections and deliver complex medical procedures. Antibiotic misuse, particularly in low-–middle-income countries, is accelerating this problem. Aim: The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the use and misuse of antibiotics in dentistry in India. Method: We included studies carried out on Indian populations evaluating the prescription of prophylactic or therapeutic antibiotics by dental practitioners or other healthcare providers, along with antibiotic self-medication by the general population. The primary outcome measure was prescription rate/use of antibiotics for dental/oral problems. The secondary outcome measures included indications for antibiotic use in dentistry, their types and regimens, factors influencing practitioners' prescription patterns and any differences based on prescriber and patient characteristics. Multiple databases were searched with no restrictions on language or publication date. The quality assessment of all included studies was carried out using the AXIS tool for cross-sectional studies and the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for qualitative studies. Results: Of the 1377 studies identified, 50 were eligible for review, comprising 35 questionnaire surveys, 14 prescription audits and one qualitative study (semi-structured interviews). The overall quality of the included studies was found to be low to moderate. The proportion of antibiotic prescriptions amongst all prescriptions made was found to range from 27% to 88%, with most studies reporting antibiotics in over half of all prescriptions; studies also reported a high proportion of prescriptions with a fixed dose drug combination. Worryingly, combination doses not recommended by the WHO AWaRe classification were being used. The rate of antibiotic self-medication reported for dental problems varied from 5% to 35%. Conclusions: Our review identified the significant misuse of antibiotics for dental diseases, with inappropriate use therapeutically and prophylactically, the use of broad spectrum and combination antibiotics not recommended by WHO, and self-medication by the general population. There is an urgent need for targeted stewardship programmes in this arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self medication is proportionately increasing in both urban and rural community. The pattern of self medication use is not well established, hence, a cross sectional survey was undertaken which recruited 100 patients 50 from urban and 50 from rural in the state of Pudhucherry by convenience sampling method. Results revealed Overall 71 % of the subjects reported that they have used self medication at least once during their illness. On comparing the self medication practice among urban and rural community no statistical difference was found (P value = 0.825). There is need for authorities to make the existing laws regarding OTC drugs strong to ensure their rational sale and use. Moreover, specific pharmacovigilance is needed and the patient, pharmacist and physician must be encouraged to report any adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-Medication (SM) is a practice of using medications to treat selfdiagnosed symptoms without a legitimate prescription by a health care professional. Alongside posing a burden on a patient, SM practices are associated with certain unfavourable health conditions such as drug-resistance, adverse effects, drug-interactions, including death., Objective: To systematically review and quantify the prevalence of SM practices and its associated factors in India., Methods: A comprehensive systematic search was performed using scientific databases such as PubMed and Cochrane library for the peer-reviewed research articles that were conducted in India without any language and date restrictions. Studies which were cross-sectional by design and assessing the prevalence and predictors of SM practices in India were considered for the review, and all the relevant articles were screened for their eligibility., Results: Of 248 articles, a total of 17 articles comprising of 10,248 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, the mean prevalence of SM practices in India was observed to be 53.57%. Familiarity with the medication appears to be a major reason to practice SM (PR: 30.45; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 17.08-43.82; 6 studies), and the practice was noticed more among individuals from a middle-lower class family with a prevalence rate of 26.31 (95%CI: 2.02-50.60; P<0.0001). Minor ailments were the primary reason for practicing SM (PR: 42.46; 95%CI: 21.87- 63.06), among which headache was the most commonly reported (PR: 41.53; 95%CI: 18.05-65.02)., Conclusion: Self-medication practices are quite frequent in India. While NSAIDs and anti-allergens are the most frequently utilized self-medicated drugs used for headache and cold and cough., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)