EVALUATION OF SELF MEDICATION TRENDS AMONG PHARMACY AND MEDICAL STUDENTS

Syeda Amina Hanif*, Ammara Azmat and Dr. Saleha Sadeeqa

ABSTRACT

Self medication is common practice worldwide and it leads to irrational use of drugs among society. This cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the practice of self medication and different factors linked with this practice among medical and pharmacy students in Pakistan. A pre-designed questionnaire was used and a total of 400 female students from medical colleges and pharmacy institutes participated. Chi square test was used to evaluate the association of these fields and year of study with self medication. It was observed that practice of self medication was similar in medical and pharmacy students as there was no significant association of this objective with self medication but there was significant association between self medication and year of study. This study present the comprehensive description of self medication practice among pharmacy and medical students and this is highly prevalent in medical and pharmacy students which may increase the misuse or irrational use of medicines. Pharmacist can also play their part in the prevention of this practice by educating students about useful and harmful aspects of self medication and this growing trend can be prevented by restricting the unethical promotion of drugs.

Keywords: Self medication, Irrational, Unethical, Promotion, WHO.