IJCM_242A: Assessment of self-medication practice among the school teachers of Bhopal

Abstract

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) define self-medication (SM) as a practice by which an individual selects and uses medicines to treat symptoms or minor health problems, recognized as such by themselves. Self-medication has a number of negative effects, including resource waste, greater disease resistance, and drug resistance. Lack of time, convenience, and awareness parameters, as well as distorted thinking, all contribute to today’s never-ending cycle of self medication and its detrimental effects. Objectives: 1. To determine the prevalence of use of self-medication among school teachers of Bhopal. 2. To assess the construct connection between old and new practice by pre & post test scores. Methodology: Quasi-experimental, pre- and post-educational intervention study of randomly selected school teachers of Bhopal, Sample Size 136.5 ~ 140 using Cochran’s formula. A pre-validated, pre-tested, close-ended multiple- choice questionnaire on Socio-Demographic information, various domains like reasons, indications, medications used and source of knowledge for self- medication was filled in digital mode before and after the lecture demonstration. Results: The effectiveness of the educational program on most of the components was found positive. Conclusion: Awareness can be created through social media platforms regarding the detrimental effects of self-medication. Teachers can be the best resource persons in the dissemination of knowledge in schools and colleges.

Keywords

• self-medication
• awareness