Self‐Medication Patterns Among Medical Students in
North India
Volume 1 - Issue 5
Neelam Kotwal1, Sunil Kumar2, Monika Malhotra2, Saurabh Sadotra2, Pankaj Kumar3 and Mohammad Sarwar
Mir3*
- 1Former Medical Officer at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, India
- 2IMO Grade 1 ESIC Hospital, India
- 3SKIMS Soura, India
Received: December 12, 2018; Published: December 18, 2018
Corresponding author: Mohammad Sarwar Mir, SKIMS Soura, India
DOI: 10.32474/SJPBS.2018.01.000125
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Abstract
Introduction: Self‐medication results in wastage of resources, increases resistance of pathogens and generally causes serious
health hazards such as adverse drug reactions, prolonged suffering and drug dependence.
Method: A cross‐sectional descriptive study was conducted. The participants were medical students from first to final year. The
data was collected using a questionnaire. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 2.0.
Results: A total of 100 students, 61 (61.00%) male and 39 (39.00%) female, were included in the study. Of the medical students
surveyed, self‐medication was reported among 88%. The most common ailments for which self‐medication were used were: the
common cold and headache. The students consulted their textbooks and peers for the medications. Antipyretics and analgesics
were the most common self‐ medicated drugs.
Conclusion: The prevalence of self‐medication among medical students is high, facilitated by the easy availability of drugs and
information from textbooks or seniors. The potential problems of self‐medication should be emphasized to the students.
Keywords: Self‐medication; Medical students; Drugs
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