Self-medication practice in Kathmandu Metropolitan City: A cross-sectional study

Self-medication practice in Kathmandu Metropolitan City: A cross-sectional study

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Objectives: Self-medication is increasingly popular among people in developing nations like Nepal where the expense of healthcare is relatively high and over-the-counter) medications are widely and easily accessible.Although this method has certain advantages, it is also clear that it has some drawbacks, including the potential for bovi-shield gold fp 5 l5 adverse drug reactions, drug resistance, medication interactions, and increased morbidity and mortality.This study aimed to evaluate the use of self-medication in nine wards of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (ward no.4, 5, 13, 15, 16, 17, 23, 31, and 32).Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted in the chosen wards of Kathmandu Metropolitan city for 3 months from August to October 2021.

A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 372 patients who were seeking self-medication.The participants were chosen randomly.Results: Self-medication was common among people (78%).The most frequent ailments for which participants self-medicated were the common cold (17.1%), headache (14.

7%), fever (14.5%), and cough (7.6%).Anticold medications (18.2%), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (17.

4%), antipyretics (15.2%), and analgesics (9.1%) were the most popular drug classes used in self-medication.The two most frequent justifications for self-medication were the absence of any major ailment (35%) and self-experience (22.7%).

When symptoms started, the majority of patients started taking medication for themselves, and 47.7% of them got their prescriptions directly from the pharmacist by explaining their symptoms.When the symptoms were not relieved by the medication used for self-medication, it was here found that the majority of participants (79.7%) stopped using the medication and visit the doctor.Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication in Kathmandu city was ascertained by assessing the practice among residents of the Kathmandu Metropolitan city.

The study showed self-medication is common among people and therefore, proper education about drug use and self-medication is needed.