[Table/Fig-1]:

Summary comparison of previously published articles on self-medication among medical and paramedical students in India and Nepal

	Authors (in chronological order)
	Sontakke et al., [12]	Badiger et al., [7]	Pandya et al., [13]	Patil et al., [14]	Mehta et al., [10]
Place	Nagpur, India	Mangalore, India	Ahmedabad, India	Karnataka, India	Chitwan, Nepal
Study aim	Compare the pattern of self-medication among I and III year medical students; Evaluate whether medical training results in any change.	Determine the reasons and patterns for self-medication.	Prevalence and pattern of use of self-medication.	To study practice and perception about self- medication	Knowledge, attitude and behavior of self-medication by medical students
Study design & population (Sample size)	Cross sectional; first and third year medical students (n=337)	Cross sectional; all undergraduate medical students (n=200)	Cross sectional; all undergraduate medical students (n=685)	Cross sectional; all undergraduate medical students (n=440)	Cross sectional; first year medical and paramedical students (n=75)
Self-medication incidence	76.26% (77.98% I year & 74.71% III year students).	92%	82.3% in last one year	88.18% in last 6 months	84% in last one year
Important findings	Senior students have better knowledge than juniors but the juniors were also well aware about self-medication.	Self-medication is facilitated by the easy availability of drugs and information. A significant number of students are unaware of the adverse effects of self-medication.	Self-medication practice changed with time and increasing knowledge and was highest among the interns.	Self-medication was practiced widely. Antibiotics, Antipyretics and Analgesics were most commonly used for self-medication.	Self-medication was very common, respondents have good knowledge and positive attitude towards self-medication. Analgesic and antipyretic were most commonly used drugs.