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Research Paper | Nursing | India | Volume 13 Issue 10, October 2024 | Popularity: 7 / 10
Self-Medication Practices (SMP) among Nursing Students in Selected Colleges of Kalaburagi, Karnataka
Balarama V R, Ganesh C Hunashyal
Abstract: Introduction: Self-medication is a human behaviour in which an individual uses un-prescribed drugs to treat untreated and often undiagnosed medical ailments. We often take pills for common ailments like fever, colds, cough and headache, without bothering to consult a doctor. As there is an increasing rate of self medication seen in many areas and at different ages in the country, we hereby took this issue as our research topic to assess the self medication practices among student nurses in Kalaburagi. Objectives: 1. To identify the period prevalence & Pattern of SMP among nursing students. Method: A descriptive study was conducted among 571 student nurses who have been screened for self medication to get the period prevalence and 154 student nurses who found to be involved in SMP were administered with the pattern of SMP tool. Results: The period prevalence of self medication among student nurses is 269.70 per thousand student-nurses. The most common reasons for the self medication found to be Fever of 104 (67.53%), Head ache of 71 (46.10%), cold of 68 (44.16%), dysmenorrhoea of 38 (24.68%) and cough of 33 (21.43%). The most common reasons for not consulting doctor were, since it is a minor ailment 137 (88.96%), 26 (16.88%) is unnecessary investigation, 21 (13.64%) lack of time, 17 (11.04%) have adequate knowledge regarding medication. The major factor influenced for self medication are past experience 79(51.30%) influence of parents/ siblings/relatives 45 (29.22%). Only 11 (7.14%) had difficulty in getting the drug without prescription and this was overcome by taking old prescription 10 (90.90%). Around 71(46.10%) do not know regarding the pharmacokinetics of the drug, 76 (49.35%) have no knowledge regarding the pharmacodynamics of the drug and 70(45.45%) have no idea regarding side effects of the drugs. Conclusion: The period prevelance of self medication among nursing students were found to be high, but not high when compared with the other studies. The more common reason for self medication were found to be fever, headache and cold. The findings of the study indicate that nurses need to be more aware of their SMP and to take a step forward regarding awareness for the same among the public.
Keywords: Self Medication, Over The Counter drugs, Student Nurses
Edition: Volume 13 Issue 10, October 2024
Pages: 30 - 35
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