SELF MEDICATION PRACTICE AMONG URBAN SLUM DWELLERS IN UDUPI TALUK, KARNATAKA, INDIA

Authors

  • Pranav V Department of Public health,Manipal University,Manipal,Karnataka,India http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2231-5455
  • Prakash Narayanan Department of Public Health, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnatka
  • Vasudeva Guddattu Department of Public Health, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnatka

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ijpps.2017v9i6.15950

Keywords:

Over the counter (OTC) drugs, Self-medication, Slum dwellers, Udupi

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence and associated factors of self-medication among slum dwellers, and to explore the perception of community pharmacists' on self-medication practices in Udupi taluk of Karnataka state in India.

Methods: A quantitative survey among 300 randomly selected slum dwellers and in-depth interviews with community pharmacists and pharmacy practice experts were conducted during January-April 2016. Descriptive and analytical methods were used to estimate the prevalence and to identify associated factors. Thematic analysis was carried out on qualitative data.

Results: The prevalence of self-medication practice was 47%. Factors such as gender, recent experience of an illness, and stocking medicines at home were significantly associated with self-medication practice. Self-medication practices were high for common ailments and for the illnesses they perceived as ‘mild' (66%). Community pharmacists (87%) were the main source of information on medication. The majority (76%) of participants were ignorant about the expiry date of the medicines. The qualitative data highlighted pharmacist's' role to promote consultation with a physician, and educating patients on completion of treatment course and possible drug reactions.

Conclusion: Self-medication practices found to be common among slum-dwellers due to reasons such as lesser awareness, easy availability of over-the-counter medications, and limitations related to universal access to health. There is a need to improve the awareness of dangers of self-medication to the general public and strengthen the mechanism to monitor dispensing of medicines without prescriptions.

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Author Biography

Pranav V, Department of Public health,Manipal University,Manipal,Karnataka,India

Nil

References

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Published

01-06-2017

How to Cite

V, P., P. Narayanan, and V. Guddattu. “SELF MEDICATION PRACTICE AMONG URBAN SLUM DWELLERS IN UDUPI TALUK, KARNATAKA, INDIA”. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, vol. 9, no. 6, June 2017, pp. 19-23, doi:10.22159/ijpps.2017v9i6.15950.

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Original Article(s)