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Analysis Study Research Paper | Nursing | India | Volume 12 Issue 11, November 2023 | Popularity: 5.2 / 10

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Prevalence of Self Medication Practices and it's Associated Factors among the Patients of Selected Hospitals of Guwahati, Assam: A Descriptive Study

Kamlin Tham, Mitali Barman

Abstract: Background: Living with diseases and ailments is challenging, as it interferes with physical, mental, and social functions and thus greatly affects a person's quality of life. Several medications are used without a proper prescription by the people very often. Studies shows that medicine related problems like headache, gastro-intestinal problems, skin rash, kidney disease, etc, can be as high as 41% in patients who self-medicate. Objectives: 1) To assess the prevalence of self medication practices among patients of selected hospitals of Guwahati, Assam. 2) To assess the associated factors of self medication practices among patients of selected hospitals of Guwahati, Assam. Methods and Materials: A descriptive research design was used to accomplish the objectives. Study was undertaken among 120 patients of selected hospitals of Guwahati, Assam by using purposive sampling technique. Modified health promotion model was used as conceptual framework. Semi structured tools were used to assess the prevalence of self medication practices and it's associated factors among patients. Results: Out of 120 of patients demographic results shows that 35(28.3%) of the respondents were aged between 19 ? 29 years, 61(50.9%) were male, 78(65%) were residing in urban area, 60(50%) were graduates, 35(29.2%) were private employees, 45(37.5%) had monthly family income of Rs.27654-46089, 97(80.8%) were married, 76(78.4%) were staying together, 90(75%) did not have the presence of health care professional in the family, 10(33.3%) had the presence of doctors and nurses in their family, 68(56.7%) did not have the health insurance, 76(63.3%) had previous information regarding self medication, 39(51.3%) had family/relatives as source of information and 107(89.2%) had the accessibility to medical services. Among practice, the result shows that out of 120 patients, 97(80.8%) had practiced self medication. Among 97, 41(42.3%) had practice self medication 2-5 times, 87 (89.7%) had the presence of common drugs at home, 36(37.1%) had continued self medication for 1 day. 64(65.9%) had consumed tablet as a form of self medication, 25(25.8%) had practiced self medication for gastric problems, 33(34%) had used gastric medications as the most commonly used for self medication, 50 (51.5%) had used to request for medications from store by mentioning the name of the drug, 79 (81.4%) had not encountered any adverse reactions because of self medications, 72(74.2%) had not read instructions which are present at the back or with the medication pack, 53(54.6%) were cured of the symptoms when practiced self medications most of the times, 52(53.6%) had sought the medical consultations when self medication failed and 67(69.1%) had recommended self medications to their family and friends. In associated factors of self medication, out of 97 patients 28(28.9%) had taken self medication due to the mild nature of the illness, 43(44.3%) were self influenced to take medicines, 45(46.4%) were at a distance of

Keywords: Prevalence, self medication practices, associated factors, patients

Edition: Volume 12 Issue 11, November 2023

Pages: 310 - 314

DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.21275/ES231102154300

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