Self-medication patterns in physiotherapy students in north india

Background: Self-medication is defined as selection and use of medicines by individuals to treat self-recognized or self-diagnosed conditions or symptoms. Self-medication can lead to various health problems like adverse drug reactions, prolonged suffering, and drug-dependence and increase resistance among various pathogens. Very few studies have evaluated its pattern and prevalence in physiotherapy students.
Material and Methods:
Study setting: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted on the second year physiotherapy students of institute of Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation College collaborated with a tertiary care hospital in North India.
Study design: A questionnaire consisting of open and close ended questions related to various aspects of self-medication was distributed to the students. An informed consent was given to them and only the students, who gave consent, anonymously filled the questionnaire and participated in this present study.
Results: A total of 104 students, two incomplete questionnaires were excluded and remaining 102 were analyzed. Practice of self-medication was reported by 98.07% physiotherapy students. The most common ailment for seeking self-medication was common cold and cough (44.11%), sore throat (24.50%), fever (12.74%), pain abdomen, heartburn, diarrhoea, menstrual cramps, gynecological infections (18.62%) are the main factors attributed to predominant ailment which leads them to self medicate. The commonly/frequently used drugs or combination drug therapy included were antipyretics including paracetamol (32.35%), NSAIDs including aspirin(23.52%), antibiotics including antimicrobials (15.68%), Antihistaminics (9.5%), Antifungals including topical ointments/lotions (10.78%%), and other miscellaneous accounting for 7.84%.According to our documented results cost effectiveness (65.68%) has emerged as the prominent reason for self medication, followed by time saving (13.72%), further ease (12.74%) for reaching the drug/medicine as considered by participants as the valid point through pharmacy or leftovers. and last but not least learning opportunities (07.84%) were also accounting as the interesting reason for this pattern of self medication.
Conclusions: Our study concludes that self-medication pattern is widely practiced among second year physiotherapy students of this institute. As the pattern of self medication is very high as documented in this study thus, there is affirm need to make them aware about the advantages and disadvantages of self-medication in order to ensure optimistic usage of pattern of self medication with reduced errors and wholesome advantages.