Medical Students Perception and Practice of Self-medication: Vision of Future Practitioner in Pakistan

Aims: The present study was conducted to explore self-medication among the medical students and their perception towards self-medication in four medical colleges in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Study Design: The study was carried out as a cross sectional survey.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in four medical colleges during the period from April to September 2016 in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Methodology: A semi structured questionnaire was developed. The questionnaire consisted of 6 sections. First and second year students were excluded from the study. The collected data of questionnaires was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20.

Results: A sample of 403 students completed the questionnaire with a response rate of 80.6%. Majority of students practiced self-medication to save time (77.7% p < 0.001) whereas antipyretics (90.6%) were mainly used as self-medication among those participants. Academic knowledge (80.1%) was mentioned as a main source for information on drugs. The main indication for which participants self-medicated was fever (97%).

Conclusion: The medical students’ practice regarding self-medication is increasing in our population. It was concluded that in order to prevent the growing trend of this self-medication practice, policies should be deployed to prohibit the supply of drugs without prescription