IS THE PRACTICE OF SELF MEDICATION MORE PREVALENT AMONG HEALTH SCIENCES STUDENTS? – A COMAPARATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE STUDY

Background: One of the most relentless problem in the society especially among the health care professionals in developing countries is self-medication. It is defined as obtaining or consuming one or more drugs without a physician’s advice either for diagnosis, prescription or survillence of treatment. The present study was done among students with different educational background to assess the percentage of youngsters who practice self-medication, their attitude and knowledge about the same. Method: A structured and validated questionnaire was distributed among 300 dental, engineering and paramedical students. Results: The results were alarming, 292 students out of 300 have taken self-medication, 97% were found to be used to self-medication among dental students, 93% were engineering students and 99% were paramedical students. 41.8% of students believed in self-knowledge. Conclusion: Educational interventions should be aimed to make the population aware of potential risks and dangers linked to self-medication and strict laws to be enforced to prevent over counter drugs