Table 5.
Student attitudes towards self-medication practice.
| Attitudes towards Self-Medication (N = 450) | Sample (N) | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Reasons in favor of self-medication practice | ||
| Mild problems | 158 | 35.1 |
| Previous experience | 64 | 14.2 |
| I find SM practice as taking active role in managing my health | 23 | 5.1 |
| Waiting in queues and time issues | 25 | 5.6 |
| Lack of trust on prescribers | 9 | 2 |
| Self-knowledge is enough to self-medicate rationally | 14 | 3.1 |
| Informed by elders/family members and friends | 8 | 1.8 |
| I am not sure | 114 | 25.3 |
| Combination of above mentioned reasons | 35 | 7.8 |
| Reasons against self-medication practice | ||
| Consultation with physician is essential | 119 | 26.4 |
| Risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) | 68 | 15.1 |
| Practitioner can diagnose an illness | 48 | 10.7 |
| A patient cannot rationalize SM | 18 | 4 |
| Prescribing a medication is the job of a prescriber | 18 | 4 |
| I am not sure | 130 | 28.9 |
| Combination of above mentioned reasons | 49 | 10.9 |
| Advice to others regarding self-medication | ||
| I am always in favor of SM practice | 57 | 12.7 |
| I am against SM but it can be used in rare situations | 366 | 81.3 |
| I am always against SM practice | 27 | 6 |