Abstract

Background: It is a common believe that self medication prevails more in medical students. Dental students do believe in self medication. With this background, current study aimed to determine the attitude and practice of self medication among dental students.

Aim and Objective: To know prevalence, attitude and practice of self medication among dental students in a dental college.

Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 2nd year dental students in a tertiary care teaching hospital to assess attitude and practice regarding self-medication. Data were collected from 90 students using a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire.

Results: The study finding revealed that overall prevalence of self medication is 86.67% among the participants. There is an increase in prevalence of self medication from 58.97 to 86.67% after joining to professional course. Most common source of self medication is senior’s advice (92.30%) followed by book reference (83.33%). Most common disease for which self medication is used are fever, headache/body ache, cold/flu (100%) followed by acid peptic disease (92.30%). The use of self medication is more in communicable/infectious disease (91.02%) than noncommunicable disease (62.82%). Most commonly used drug for self medication are analgesics, antiallergics and antipyretics (100%) followed by antacid/PPI (84.61%). The prevalence of use of antibiotics among the participants are 73.07%. 26.29% participants use herbal medication as self medication. Most of the participants use self medication as and when basis (52.57%). Only 25.64% participant took full course of the medication and 21.79% participants use self medication for long term. Most of the participants strongly agree or agree for self medication in community and among dental students. About 54% disagree saying medicine should be prescribed by licensed medical practitioner.

Conclusion: Attitude and practice of the students towards self-medication was positive and reason being dental students and influence of seniors. Since they are in the initial year of course with inadequate knowledge, awareness must be created about appropriate use and adverse drug reaction arising from self-medication.

Key words: Self-medication; Dental Students; Prevalence