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Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community MedicineNOW IN
Article

Perceptions, Knowledge and Practice of Self-Medication among Undergraduate Pharmacy Students in Malaysia: A Cross Sectional Study

Ramadan Mohamed Elkalmi1★, Mohamed Hassan Elnaem3, Ibrahim Khalid Rayes2, Ramez Mohamed Alkodmani4, Tarek Mohamed Elsayed3, Shazia Qasim Jamshed3★ Corresponding author

  1. 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, MALAYSIA.
  2. 2Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University of Science and Technology, Ajman, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.
  3. 3Department of Pharmacy Practice, Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, MALAYSIA.
  4. 4Disipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, MALAYSIA.

CORRESPONDENCE

Ramadan Mohamed Elkalmi

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, MALAYSIA.

edriph@gmail.com

Received: 26-06-2018; Revised: 07-07-2018; Accepted: 28-08-2018.

Volume 4, Issue 3 · pp. 132–136 · PUBLISHED · DOI: 10.5530/jppcm.2018.3.32

View on JPPCM original site ↗

ABSTRACT

Background: Awareness about health status has increased the prevalence of self-medication. Several factors play role in self-medication like gender, socioeconomic status, education level and frequency of illness. Objective:To explore the perceptions, knowledge and practice of self-medication among pharmacy students from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuantan. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted from October to December 2015. A convenience sample was taken from year 1 to year 4 of pharmacy students. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: Of 462 questionnaires distributed, 379 were returned giving a response rate of (88.3%). The results show significant difference on the level of knowledge among pharmacy students from different academic levels (p< 0.001). The total mean score of knowledge about self-medication was 4.57+1.89. For perception, the vast majority of the students believed that self-medication can save time (88.8%) and money (73.7%). Sore throat, headache, fever and cold were the most common inducements complaints for self-medication 68.4%; 64.9%, 64.6%, 60.9%; respectively. Furthermore, health supplements (29.8%), antipyretics (23.9%) and analgesics (23.4%) were the commonly used medication. Almost all (90.7%) of the students believed that self-medication can be practiced when the illness is not too serious. Conclusion:The study findings depicted that the majority of study participants have insufficient knowledge about self-medication. Early exposure to knowledge about self-medicine in the early stages of undergraduate pharmacy education is imperative to ensure a proper and appropriate way to self-medication among students.

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    Elkalmi, R. M., Elnaem, M. H., Rayes, I. K., Alkodmani, R. M., Elsayed, T. M., & Jamshed, S. Q. (). Perceptions, Knowledge and Practice of Self-Medication among Undergraduate Pharmacy Students in Malaysia: A Cross Sectional Study. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine, 4(3), 132–136. https://doi.org/10.5530/jppcm.2018.3.32