Self-medication- A challenge in the present scenario: Experience from an urban slum of Darjeeling district, West Bengal

Abstract

Background: Self- medication is an important concern for health authorities at global level. There is much public and professional concern regarding self-medication practices, which has increased in the last few decades, especially in the developing countries. Objectives: To determine prevalence of self-medication practice and factors associated with self-medication, attitude & perception of people towards self-medication. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in urban field practice area of a tertiary care teaching institute of North Eastern India. 190 subjects were selected through complete enumeration technique during a period of six months. Participants were interviewed using predesigned, pretested and validated self-administered questionnaire. Information regarding self-medication use in the past three months & associated socio-demographic factors, purpose, source of drug procurement, perception regarding self-medication use were collected. Relationship between variables were determined by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Self-medication was found in 94.2% of the study participants. Fever with cough & cold followed by gastritis &bodyache were the common illness where self-medication was being used. NSAIDs (62.6%), PPI (57.8%), Amoxycillin-Clavulanic Acid (66.7%), cough syrups (46.9%) and anti-histaminic (31.2%) were found among the commonly self-medicated medicines. Commonest method adopted to obtain drugs was compelling symptoms (47.9%). Saving time (82.4%) was noted as most common reason for self-medication. Males, people above poverty level& distance of their households to nearest health facility<3 km were significantly associated with self- medication. Conclusion: Enforcement of rules determining drug prescription and dispensing, health education of people & regulation may help in limiting self-medication practices.