Self-medication practices of the rural community people: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Self-medication is the practice of taking medicines without a physician's advice, and it has become more common in developing nations. The root cause could be anything from a shortage of physicians to financial factors. However, most people are not aware of the ill effects and drug reactions brought on by self-medication. This research aimed to find out the prevalence, frequency, common complaints, primary sources, and regular medicines utilized for self-medication, which are the goal of this study. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the rural community people in Keezhur, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, India. A group of 253 participants were selected using a random sampling technique. A self-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The gathered information was coded and examined. Results: Self-medication was common in 60.5% of people, and 46.6% of them frequently utilize analgesics. The most frequent condition for which people used self-medication was headache (30.4%). The practice was significantly correlated with the younger age group and the level of education. Conclusion: Self-medication is harmful to one's health and is widespread in the research group's region. To reduce the practice of self-medication, general people should get sufficient health education.

Keywords

• community people
• nonprescription drugs
• over-the-counter drugs
• rural area
• self-medication