Study of Self-medication among First and Seventh Semester Medical and Dental Undergraduate Students of Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Nepal: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Although appropriate self-medication can ease minor illness and is time and costeffective, it can lead to irrational drug use and increased resistance, leading to prolonged morbidity. Inclined towards medical information and drug indices, medical students have an open arena for self-medication practice. This study was conducted to find the prevalence of self-medication among first and seventh semester medical and dental students in a tertiary care hospital.
 Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among medical and dental undergraduates from July 2020 to August 2020 after receiving ethical clearance from the Institutional Review Committee of Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences (IRC Approval Number:35/20). A questionnaire was responded to by participants through a google form. Participants were enrolled through the convenience sampling method. Data were collected and entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25.
 Results: Out of 199 respondents, the prevalence of self-medication was 100 (50.3%) (46.76-53.84 at 95% Confidence Interval). First semester medical 36 (73.5%) and dental undergraduates 24 (80%) had higher practice. Seventh-semester medical students 14 (51.9%) usually self-medicated within one day of onset of symptoms. Headache 47 (47%) was the most common indication. Analgesics 62 (62%) were most commonly used drugs procured most commonly from pharmacies 114 (57.3%). Dosage form was drug selection criteria for 120 (60.3%) students.
 Conclusions: Since self-medication is crammed with serious health hazards, proper exposure to the topic should be given to medical, dental students, and pharmacists. The implication of selfmedication into the pharmacology syllabus is a must.

Prevalence of self-medication and associated factors among female students of health science colleges at Majmaah University: A cross-sectional study

“…These observations are consistent with the present study findings. Other studies considered indications of SM such as constipation, nausea, insomnia, fatigue, and skin rash ranging from 23 to 9.48% consistent with the present study ( 13 , 17 , 19 , 21 ).…”

“…There was also a strong agreement that pharmacists played a pivotal role in motivating the SM. Similar results were observed among University students from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain ( 13 , 17 , 23 ).…”

“…In the present study, the uses of leftover medications were more prevalent among the present study participants. A similar study in Nepal by Manandhar Shrestha et al revealed that leftover medicines use was 22.6% as compared to the present study (39.9%), it was lower prevalent ( 17 ).…”

Self-medication among Basic Science Medical Students of a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

“… 2 Medical students are more likely to self-medicate due to their knowledge of pharmacology pathology and greater reach over drugs. 3 Basic science students with limited clinical exposure face increased vulnerability to issues arising from incorrect medication choices, dosages, and associated side effects. Writing prescriptions for friends and family raises additional concerns about their self-medication practices.…”

Systematic review of the selfmedication practice among medical students across South Asian countries

“…Self-medication constitutes a crucial aspect of patients' self-care, serving as the primary recourse for addressing common health issues that do not warrant professional medical attention (Seam et al, 2018). In situations where resources are limited, appropriate selfmedication proves to be both time and cost-efficient, offering relief from minor ailments (Shrestha et al, 2021). Additionally, the advantages of self-medication extend to the convenience and autonomy it affords individuals in managing or alleviating minor symptoms or conditions (Islam and Hossain, 2019).…”