Perceptions and practices of self-medication in healthcare and nonhealthcare university students in South India
-
Ajitha Sharma
,
Shweta Oommen
Abstract
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.
Acknowledgments:
The authors would like to extend their heart-felt gratitude for the help and assistance rendered by Mr. Harsha P., student of mass media and communications, towards data collection in the university students and also all the participants of the study.
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: None declared.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.
Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.
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©2015 by De Gruyter
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Behavior and Neuroprotection
- Neurobehavioural evaluation of Lophira alata (Ochnaceae) stem bark extract in mice
- Cardiovascular Function
- Altered cardiovascular autonomic function in young normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents – Is obesity an additional risk factor?
- Atheromic and lymphoplasmacytic effects of Mangifera indica methanolic leaf extract on the heart of chinchilla rabbits
- Cardiovascular-Pulmonary Interactions
- Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and management practices of acute coronary syndrome in a tertiary care hospital
- Oxidative Stress
- Effect of homopterocarpin, an isoflavonoid from Pterocarpuserinaceus, on indices of liver injury and oxidative stress in acetaminophen-provoked hepatotoxicity
- Metabolism
- Activation of insulin signaling and energy sensing network by AICAR, an AMPK activator in insulin resistant rat tissues
- Mature coconut water exhibits antidiabetic and antithrombotic potential via L-arginine-nitric oxide pathway in alloxan induced diabetic rats
- Methanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaves improves glucose tolerance, glycogen synthesis and lipid metabolism in alloxan-induced diabetic rats
- Morphological changes in the pancreas and glucose reduction of the aqueous extract of Costus afer leaf on alloxan-induced diabetic rats
- Immune Response
- Immunomodulatory activity of methanolic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera in Wistar albino rats
- Immune response modulatory effect of Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC: an in vivo experimental study
- Inflammation
- Thymoquinone ameliorates NLRP3-mediated inflammation in the pancreas of albino Wistar rats fed ethanol and high-fat diet
- Miscellaneous
- Perceptions and practices of self-medication in healthcare and nonhealthcare university students in South India
