Assessment of Self-Medication Practices and Associated Factors by Clinical Pharmacists in a Rural Population of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

Background: Self-medication is a major concern for health authorities worldwide. The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Self-medication and its associated factors in a rural community of India.Materials and Methods: A cross sectional prospective community based unicentric study was designed and conducted for a period of 10 months from July 2022 to May 2023 in a newly established Drug Information and Patient Counseling Centre at a rural setup in India. The data was acquired; compiled and categorized. Continuous data were expressed as mean and standard deviation, while descriptive analysis was expressed as percentage.Results: Of the total 312 participants, 237 were found to have practiced Self-medication. Analysis of the data revealed that the prevalence of Self-medication in the region was 67.13%. People with a college degree (52.32%) and middle-class incomes (55.27%) were found to practice Self-medication in higher number. The most frequently used drugs for self-medication in the area were analgesics and antipyretics (24.05%), followed by acid suppressants (17.29%).Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of self-medication was determined to be 67.13%. It was noticed that a higher education did not prevent people from developing the habit of Self-medication; rather, it played a significant role in it. Therefore, in order to encourage the public to understand the serious consequences of Self-medication, the Drug control authorities and health policy makers need to invest some resources in this effort by engaging clinical pharmacists in rural areas.

Keywords: Self-Medication; Clinical Pharmacist; Patient Counseling; Drug Information; India