Abstract

PREVALENCE OF SELF-MEDICATION PRACTICES AMONG ZAMBIAN STUDENTS IN ITM UNIVERSITY GWALIOR, INDIA

Nem Kumar Jain*, Natasha Catherine Mbewe and Kundan Kumar Sah

Abstract

Aims: This study was undertaken to determine the attitude and practice of self medication among Zambian students in India. Methods: this study was anonymous, questionnaire-based, descriptive study. A selfdeveloped, pre-validated questionnaire consisting of both open ended and closed-ended questions was filled by Zambian students pursuing various courses in ITM University Gwalior. Data was reviewed, organized and summarized as counts, percentage and evaluated using descriptive statistics. Result: The prevalence of self-medication was 87.5%. Antipyretics were most commonly self-medicated by the students (93.38%) and the most common indication for the usage of self-medication was found as Fever, Headache and cough/ cold with the reason illness was too trivial. Common source of information for self-medication was found to be Pharmacy. Conclusion: The study findings concluded that Self-medication is prevalent in Zambian students. However, multi-centric studies on prevalence of selfmedication are required to be conducted with a sample large enough to represent the whole Zambia population.

Keywords: Self-medication, Zambia, drug abuse, minor illness.