Perceived Self-medication Practices and Associated Factors among Undergraduates in a Non-State University

Abstract

Inappropriate self-medication usage has become a significant public health problem in all countries. This study is aimed to determine the perceived self-medication practices (SMP), associated factors and awareness on contraindications related to self-medication among undergraduates in a non-state university using a random sample of 138 undergraduates of the Faculty of Humanities and Sciences (FOHS) of Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT). The required data were acquired from a structured questionnaire consists of 31 questions in four parts. It was found that only 87% of the respondents had practiced self-medication in the past three months. Covid-19 restrictions (48.4%) and believing consultation for mild illnesses is unnecessary (44.0%) were the major reasons for SMP. The gender, age category, residing province, living with whom, study year, nationality, and household monthly income are not significantly associated with status of SMP, but the presence of chronic illnesses was significantly associated. The percentage of having SMP for those having chronic illness (87.9%) is significantly higher (p<0.05) than that for no chronic illness (78.5%). There was a significant association between the type of medicine use for SM and the levels of SM (high vs low). Also, the attitudes towards the statement “SM is effective similarly, to medicines prescribed by a doctor” is significantly associated (p=0.07) with the levels of SMP. Headache (80.7%) and common cold (43.0%) were the major health conditions for SMP, while painkillers (83.2%) and vitamins and minerals (47.8%) were the most used types of medicines. Conducting educational programs in pharmaceutical aspects is recommended to improve healthy medicinal compliance among the undergraduate population in Sri Lanka.