Self-Medication Practices in Dermatological Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to assess the pattern and reasons for self-medication practices and its rationality in dermatological diseases among the population of the Malwa region of the central India. Methods: Individuals aged older than 18 years who were practicing self-medication and gave informed consent for participation in the study were enrolled. Doctors, pharmacists, and medical students were excluded from the study. A preformed and semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain the data. Results: High tendency of self-medication was seen among young adults of age between 21 and 40 years (61.42%) while it was low among aged < 20 years (15.71%) and > 50 years (7.14%). Self-medication practice was more common in people who had education between high school and graduation (72.85%) in comparison to the illiterate (7.14%) and post-graduated subjects (5.14%). Most of the subjects who had practicing self-medication were taking suggestions from the nearest medical shopkeepers (50%). The main reasons for self-medication were the non-severity of diseases (42.85%) and easy availability of medicine from medical stores without dermatologist prescription (24.28%). Conclusion: The study showed the prevalence of self-medication was nearly same in both rural and urban population. Health-care providers should educate patients on the dangers of self-medication. Such messages should be extended periodically to the community at large scale by the government health ministry/authorities. Government should enforce relevant and strict legislation, which limits the sales of drugs without prescription.