SELF-MEDICATION;

AMONG PRIVATE UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS OF LAHORE

Abstract

Background: The utilization of medication by individuals in an attempt to
treat self-recognized symptoms themselves is termed self-medication. Medical students face
obscurity when they seek health care for themselves. This study was conducted to assess
the prevalence of self-medication among the private undergraduate medical students of a
private medical college of Lahore to assess the students’ attitudes regarding the practice of
self-medication. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: The participants were students
of Shalamar Medical and Dental College, Lahore a Private Institute, in Lahore. Period: May
to September 2015 (5 months). Methods: The sampling frame constituted of 600 eligible
students. The sample size of 192 was calculated assuming 76% prevalence of self-medication
practice with 5% relative precision and 95% confidence interval. Systematic random sampling
was utilized to administer a modified, self-administered, structured questionnaire. Institutional
review board (IRB) of Shalamar Institute of Health Sciences granted permission to carry out
the research. The questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 200 subjects after a signed
informed consent was obtained. The data entry and analyses were done in SPSS for Windows
version 20.0. Results: The response rate was 100%. The average age of the participants
(n= 200) was 21.7 ±1.5 years. Almost 83% (n= 159) of students admitted to practice selfmedication
with a different range of antibiotics. Convenience 62% (n= 124) was chosen to be
the main reason of self-medication followed by cost saving 14% (n= 28) and lack of trust in
prescribing physician 12% (n= 24). Fever 18% (n= 77), sore throat 19% (n= 81) and cough
18% (n= 79) were the main reasons for self-medication. Opinion of family members 30% (n=
60), personal previous experiences 25% (n= 49) and doctor’s previous prescription 18% (n=
35) were major criterion for selection of antibiotic. Local community pharmacies were used as
a source of obtaining antibiotics for self-administration by 72% (n =144). The relation between
self-medication and type of antibiotic taken in consideration before use was highly significant,
Χ2 (1, n= 200) = 12.37, p<.001. The relation between local community pharmacies as a source
of getting antibiotics for self-administration and self-medication was also highly significant, Χ2
(1, n= 200) = 17.87, p<.001. Conclusion: Self Medication with antibiotics and analgesics is
common among undergraduate medical students. Local community pharmacies play a critical
role as a source of disbursement of antibiotics.