A study of patterns of self medication practices at urban area of Muzzafarpur, Bihar
Journal Title: MedPulse -International Medical Journal - Year 2018, Vol 5, Issue 1
Abstract
Background: Self-medication has been defined as obtaining and consuming one (or more) drug (s) without the advice of a physician either for diagnosis, prescription or surveillance of the treatment. Aims and Objectives: To study patterns of Self medication practices at urban area. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study carried out at the urban field practice area attached to tertiary teaching hospital for the study of pattern of self-medications in the past one year i.e. January 2016 to January 2017 in 164 individuals of the 30 families. Data entered to xl-sheets and analysis done were percentages and proportions. Result: In our study we have found that The overall prevalence of self-medication was 82.10%, the most common age group was 20-30 i.e. 26.92% followed by 30-40 were 25.00%. 0-10 were 16.03%, 10-20 were 13.46%, 50-60 were 10.90%, >60 were 7.69%. The majority of the patients were Male i.e. 58.97% and Females were 41.03%. The most common source of information was Recommended by pharmacist-80%, Opinions of family members were 75%, Opinion of friends were70%, Advertisement in 65%, Own experience - in 50%, Doctor’s old prescription -45%. The most Common ailment for self-medication was Common cold in 92%, followed by Fever in 85%, Headache in 82%, Generalized body ache -80%, Joint pains -79%, Abdominal pain in 65%, Loose motion, 56%, Skin wounds in 45%, Lost of sleep in 43%. The most common medicines that were self-medicated were Paracetamol-97%, Cetirizine-90%, Antibiotics-87%, Cough syrups -84%, B-complex -82%, Diclofenac -80%, Ranitidine-78%, Dicyclomine hydrochloride -74%, Steroids-69%, Tranquilizers-56%. Conclusion: It can be concluded from our study that the prevalence of self edicationwas very high specially in the young population and most common source of it was pharmacists of pharma shops so the awareness regarding the hazards of it should be done vigorously and the stringent actions should be taken against distributing medicines without prescription of doctor and also the list of medicine which is allowed for over the counter medicine should displayed at each pharma shop.
Authors and Affiliations
Ravindra Prasad, Prabhas Kumar, Prabhat Kumar Lal, Hemant Kumar
Keywords
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