SELF REPORTED PREVALENCE AND MEDICATION STATUS OF WORKING PROFESSIONALS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Abstract

To determine the prevalence, attitude and knowledge of self-medication amongst selected population of Working Professionals and Public of
Coimbatore. Beside this study was to describe and examine the branded medicines used by professionals, awareness, trust in medicine system,
reasons behind self medication, drug information resources, danger findings and knowledge of drug profile. This cross-sectional, study was conducted
from Aug-Oct 2011 using a self administered questionnaire. A convenience sample of 65 working professional belonging to different regions of
Coimbatore were selected randomly. The prevalence of self medication was found to be 33.8% in males and 36.9% in females among working
professionals. 66.15% of working professional’s had a positive trust in allopathic medicines. The visit to the doctor was about 38% only since people
started to practice self medication. The awareness of self medication was found to be 43% in both males and females and 14% of the people were
unaware. Involvement in self medication was found to be 37% in females and 34% in males where as 29% of the people were not involved in self
medication. People belonging the age group of 26-30 years as found to be highly involved in self medication. The notion that illness/disease is not
severe is the major reason why people follow self medication. Immediate cure was found to be the comfortable factor for 47.69% of the people to
adopt self medication. Working professionals learn self medication from doctors prescriptions provided during their prior illness. Most of the self
medication was involved with headache and fever, cough & cold, gastrointestinal Infection, mouth ulcer & throat infection. Respondents were using
Schedule H drugs/potent drugs for minor illness. The results are based on feed backs which were provided by respondents included in study. The
percentage of self medication might be change along with locality and region. The prevalence of self medication among working professionals in
Coimbatore is high. This descriptive survey shows that the majority of working professional’s had a poor knowledge about appropriate self
medication while the knowledge of the benefits and risks was not adequate. A number of publics consult pharmacists and follow advertisements on
drug information. This issue needs to be addressed by the responsible authorities of State Pharmacy Council/Ministry of Health.