Knowledge and Perceptions of Self-Medication Among Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Students: A Cross-Sectional, Questionnaire-Based Study

Introduction: Self-medication (SM) is a common practice worldwide, and the irrational use of drugs is a cause of concern. Self-medication has various forms, including taking medications without a physician's prescription, using a previous prescription for a similar condition, or using drugs obtainable at home without getting a physician's advice. The youth are highly influenced by the media and the internet, which promote SM behavior. Aims and objectives: To determine the knowledge and perceptions of SM in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students in all professional years, including interns in Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences (ASCOMS) and Hospital, Jammu. Material and methods: The present study was conducted at ASCOMS Hospital, Jammu. A total of 200 students of MBBS were included in the study. A self-structured questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge and awareness level. The collected data were recorded in a Microsoft Excel sheet (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA) and analyzed with the help of IBM SPSS Statistics software for Windows, version 21.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Result: The present study reveals that 60% of the subjects were males and 65% of the students practiced SM, which indicates that SM is highly prevalent amongst MBBS students. It was observed that minor illness and quick relief were the major reasons for SM. Further, headache, cold/cough, and fever were the major indications for SM, whereas antipyretics and analgesics were the most commonly used drugs for SM. Conclusion: The present study concluded that there was a high prevalence of SM practice among medical students, especially among females. However, the knowledge and perceptions of SM were not insufficient.