A Study on Impact of Self Medication in Adults and Paediatrics in COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

  • S Sathya Narayana Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2218-9206
  • Jose Albin Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9711-2786
  • S Arun Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9340-0833
  • M Prashanth Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4510-3906
  • Mani Muthukumar Business Analyst, MResult Services, Bangalore. Research Scholar - Part time, PESU institute of pharmacy PES University Bangalore. And Visiting Faculty, Nargund College of Pharmacy, Bangalore, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0827-5108
  • R Srinivasan Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1731-5901
  • B V Saikrupa Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3770-8358

Abstract

Background: Self-medication is defined as the use of medicinal products by the consumer to treat self-recognized disorders or symptoms, or the intermittent or continued use of a medication prescribed by a physician for chronic or recurring diseases or symptoms, which often is accompanied by potential risks to the consumers, including toxicity, therapeutic failure and drug-drug as well as drug-food interactions. The practice of self-medication has exponentially risen during the Covid-19 pandemic due to fear of visiting healthcare setups and subsequently contracting infections.

Aim: The present study aims to determine the prevalence of self-medication in adults and pediatric patients during Covid-19. settings and Design: A cross-sectional community-based survey study was conducted among 556 participants, including pediatric and adult populations, for a period of 6 months, through an online platform.

Methods and Material: The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire, which included informed consent, questions on patient demographics and self-medication practices, and plausible reasons for it. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 22.0, and R environment ver.3.2.2 software.

Results: Out of 556 participants the prevalence of self-medicating with paracetamol was considered to be high both in adults and paediatrics which was found to be 72.6% (319) and 66.6% (117) respectively. During Covid-19 symptoms, it was reported that Azithromycin consumption was found to be more than paracetamol. It also showed that 62.9% (439) were self-medicating before the Covid-19 pandemic and 20.5 % (439) were not aware of the risks associated with self-medication. The major source of self-medication was found to be Google (46.5%) followed by using old prescriptions (121.5%) and using family or friends’ prescriptions (10.9%).

Conclusions: The study showed a conclusive rise in self-medication practices during the Covid pandemic among the SM-naïve population.

Keywords: Self-medication, Prevalence, Prescription, Covid-19

Keywords:

Self-medication, Prevalence, Prescription, Covid-19

DOI

https://doi.org/10.22270/jddt.v14i5.6525

Author Biographies

S Sathya Narayana, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

Jose Albin, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

S Arun, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

M Prashanth, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

Mani Muthukumar, Business Analyst, MResult Services, Bangalore. Research Scholar - Part time, PESU institute of pharmacy PES University Bangalore. And Visiting Faculty, Nargund College of Pharmacy, Bangalore, India

Business Analyst, MResult Services, Bangalore. Research Scholar - Part time, PESU institute of pharmacy PES University Bangalore. And Visiting Faculty, Nargund College of Pharmacy, Bangalore, India

R Srinivasan, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

B V Saikrupa, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, PES University, Bangalore [formerly PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore], India

References

WHO Guidelines for the regulatory assessment of medicinal products for use in self-medication. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2000. Available from: http://www.apps.who.intmedicinedocs/en/d/Js2218e/

Flaiti MA, Badi KA, Hakami WO, Khan SA; Evaluation of self-medication practices in acute diseases among university students in Oman; Journal of Acute Disease (2014)249-252; https://doi.org/10.1016/S2221-6189(14)60056-1

SJ et al; Assessment of parents induced self-medication in the paediatric population in rural and urban areas of Ahmedabad; Gujarat International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology 2020 May;9(5):776-781 https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20201757

Gohar UF et al; Self-medication trends in children by their parents; journal of developing drugs; 2017;6:2 https://doi.org/10.4172/2329-6631.1000173

Afolabi A. O; self-medication, self-dependency and self-managed health care- A review; department of dental services,federal medical centre,owo,ondostate, Nigeria

Onchonga D. A Google Trends study on the interest in self-medication during the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease pandemic. Saudi Pharm J. 2020;28(7):903-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2020.06.007 PMid:32641903 PMCid:PMC7299852

Dave P, The Role of Pharmacists in Opioid Addiction Management, Asian Journal of Dental and Health Sciences. 2024;4(1):51-56 https://doi.org/10.22270/ajdhs.v4i1.71

Hughes CM, McElnay JC, Fleming GF, School of Pharmacy, Benefits and Risks of Self Medication; The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Hussaini M, Mustafa S, Ali S. Self-medication among undergraduate medical students in Kuwait with reference to the role of the pharmacist. Journal of research in pharmacy practice. 2014 Jan;3(1):23. https://doi.org/10.4103/2279-042X.132706 PMid:24991632 PMCid:PMC4078651

Tsvetkova A, Todorova A, Petkova V. The role of pharmacist as an advisor on responsible self-medication: a survey. World J of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2014 Sep 1;3(11):325-35.

Gupta V, Bansal P, Manhas R, Singh Z, Ghaiye P, Preferred system of medicine and reasons of self medication among college students in Malwa region of Punjab, Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 2011;1(2) https://doi.org/10.22270/jddt.v1i2.41

Robert T and Victor P. Acetaminophen (Paracetamol). Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 2013;46(5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.08.001 PMid:24128822

Published

15-05-2024
Statistics
Abstract Display: 194
PDF Downloads: 181
PDF Downloads: 30

How to Cite

1.
Sathya Narayana S, Albin J, Arun S, Prashanth M, Muthukumar M, Srinivasan R, et al. A Study on Impact of Self Medication in Adults and Paediatrics in COVID-19 Pandemic. J. Drug Delivery Ther. [Internet]. 2024 May 15 [cited 2025 Jan. 17];14(5):6-10. Available from: https://jddtonline.info/index.php/jddt/article/view/6525

How to Cite

1.
Sathya Narayana S, Albin J, Arun S, Prashanth M, Muthukumar M, Srinivasan R, et al. A Study on Impact of Self Medication in Adults and Paediatrics in COVID-19 Pandemic. J. Drug Delivery Ther. [Internet]. 2024 May 15 [cited 2025 Jan. 17];14(5):6-10. Available from: https://jddtonline.info/index.php/jddt/article/view/6525