Assessment of Self - Medication among Dental Students

Dr Aishwarya Raut

Abstract: Introduction: In the recent years, there has been an increasing trend in self - medication with nonprescription drugs like antibiotics, analgesics are available in pharmacies and retail outlets. Self - medication is a component of self - care, and it is considered as primary public health resource in health care system. It can be defined as use of non - prescription medicines by people on their own initiative Though it is widely practiced globally, very few studies have evaluated its pattern and prevalence in dental students. Objective: The objective of this study is to study the prevalence and risk factors of self - medication practices among medical and dental undergraduate students. Materials and Methods: Descriptive cross - sectional questionnaire study was conducted on dental students from I BDS to IV BDS, interns, and postgraduate students. Results: A total of 84.1% % of respondents indulged in self - medication. Both male and female dental students equally had a habit of taking medicines on their own. The most common drugs used for self - medication were antibiotics (60.1%), followed by analgesics (65%), and cough syrups (49.7%). Most common reason not to see a doctor was that there is no need to see a doctor because of a minor problem (78%) followed by the lack of time (36%%). Conclusion: Most students indulged in the practice of self - medication though they had poor knowledge of the benefits and risks.

Keywords: self-medication, dental students, non-prescription drugs, antibiotics, analgesics

How to Cite?: Dr Aishwarya Raut, "Assessment of Self - Medication among Dental Students", Volume 13 Issue 3, March 2024, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 625-629, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR24307190202, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR24307190202

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