Self-medication: Prevalence among Undergraduates in Kathmandu Valley

Background: Self-medication is defined as the use of medicines to treat self-recognized or self-diagnosed conditions or symptoms, instead of seeking advice from professionals.

Aim: Our study was aimed to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of self-medication among undergraduates in different colleges of Kathmandu valley.

Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among undergraduates of Kathmandu valley. A semi-structured questionnaire was distributed to students in 4 different colleges. Chi-square test was used to determine statistical significance. Likert’s scale was used to measure attitude.

Results: 240 students participated in this study. Totally, (92.9%) students had known and taken medicine without doctor’s prescription. More than half of the participants (56.6%) had good knowledge on self-medication and nearly three quarter (74.7%) of the respondents had a positive attitude regarding self-medication. Fever, cough/cold and aches/pain were the most common symptoms for self-medication, thus making antipyretics and analgesics the most popular self-medication drugs. Pharmacists and family were the major source of information regarding self-medication.

Conclusion: Based on the findings, the prevalence of self-medication was high (94.9%). Majority respondents had good knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of self-medication but still practiced it.