A LT H 1 7 ( 2 0 1 4 ) A 7 1 9 -A 8 1 3 reasons for self-medication, factors that influenced the choice of drug and source of drug. Results: People of all socio-demographic categories practice self-medication. A total of 76.8% of the respondents indulged in self-medication practices. Of which, 33.0% used the medication inappropriately. The most frequently self-diagnosed illnesses or symptoms of illnesses were: GI illnesses, cough/cold and headache/fever. Of these illnesses, more than 35% were less than 24 hours duration and nearly 80% less than seven days duration of illness. The reasons given by respondents for selfdiagnosis and self-medication were non-seriousness of the illnesses, for emergency use and prior experience about the illness with similar symptoms (39.7%) and even advice of non-physician health professional (33.5%). Whatever the duration of illnesses and reasons for self-diagnosis, nearly 65% requested drugs by mentioning the names of the drugs and more than one-fifth by telling the symptoms of their illnesses. Requests for analgesics/antipyretics were very high (60%) followed by antimicrobial drugs (40%) for all reported illness. Drug requested mostly in other conditions include cold/cough suppressants, Gastro Intestinal drugs and very low for ORS. ConClusions: The level of inappropriate drug use denotes self-medication as an unhealthy option, and it therefore, should be discouraged.

A LT H 1 7 ( 2 0 1 4 ) A 7 1 9 -A 8 1 3 reasons for self-medication, factors that influenced the choice of drug and source of drug. Results: People of all socio-demographic categories practice self-medication. A total of 76.8% of the respondents indulged in self-medication practices. Of which, 33.0% used the medication inappropriately. The most frequently self-diagnosed illnesses or symptoms of illnesses were: GI illnesses, cough/cold and headache/fever. Of these illnesses, more than 35% were less than 24 hours duration and nearly 80% less than seven days duration of illness. The reasons given by respondents for selfdiagnosis and self-medication were non-seriousness of the illnesses, for emergency use and prior experience about the illness with similar symptoms (39.7%) and even advice of non-physician health professional (33.5%). Whatever the duration of illnesses and reasons for self-diagnosis, nearly 65% requested drugs by mentioning the names of the drugs and more than one-fifth by telling the symptoms of their illnesses. Requests for analgesics/antipyretics were very high (60%) followed by antimicrobial drugs (40%) for all reported illness. Drug requested mostly in other conditions include cold/cough suppressants, Gastro Intestinal drugs and very low for ORS. ConClusions: The level of inappropriate drug use denotes self-medication as an unhealthy option, and it therefore, should be discouraged.