Self-medication with antibiotics among undergraduate nursing students of a government medical college in Eastern India
Journal Title: International Journal of Pharmacological Research - Year 2015, Vol 5, Issue 10
Abstract
Antibiotics serve very useful therapeutic purpose in eradicating pathogens. Unfortunately excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics results in antibiotic resistance. The consequences of inappropriate self-medication with antibiotics among healthcare professionals have severe implications which might be legal issues, ethical issues, negative impacts on patient and poor quality of health care delivery. The present study was conducted on self-medication by undergraduate nursing students in a government medical college of West Bengal, India. A pre designed questionnaire was used to collect the relevant information pertaining to the study variables. Among the participants 54.2% had self-medicated in the last six months. The antibiotics most commonly used being metronidazole (67.4%), azithromycin (32.6%) and norfloxacin (16.8%). Regarding the source of the antibiotics used for self-medication 41.6% participants went for leftover medicines at home, 34.8% participants obtained the drug from community pharmacies or drug stores. Hospital pharmacies and medicine samples were the source of the drugs for 19.2% and 4.4% participants respectively for this purpose. This study has shown that self-medication with antibiotics is common among undergraduate nursing students. There is a need for a rigorous mass enlightenment campaign to educate the population, including the health care professional about the disadvantages and possible complications of antibiotic self-medication.
Authors and Affiliations
Suvadip Biswas, Aritra Ghosh, Krishnendu Mondal, Saikat Kumar Dalui, Mithilesh Haldar, Supreeti Biswas
Keywords
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- EP ID EP434583
- DOI 10.7439/ijpr.v5i10.2573
- Views 70
- Downloads 0
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