Abstract

According to WHO’S definition, self-medication is “the selection and use of medicines by individuals to treat self-recognized illness or symptoms”. Self-medication is the first option for most of the ailments which makes self-medication a common practice worldwide. A total of 200 respondents were covered during the study period. Majority of the respondents [(n=167), 83.5%] were practicing self-medication, whereas [(n=33), 16.5 %] of respondents were not practising self-medication. Major reason for the practice of self-medication was for getting quick relief (33.50%), and the most common drug class used was NSAIDS (41%) for fever, cough and cold (41.58%) which was the the major indication. Majority of the respondents relied that they got information on self-medication from the pharmacist (58.70%). Found a positive impact (52.70%) on counseling given about self-medication. Easy access to medicines was shown to be promoting factor for self-medication. Although self-medication is difficult to eliminate, interventions can be made to discourage this practice and ensure safer usage of drugs. Health education campaigns, strict legislations on dispensing drugs from pharmacies and increasing the quality of and access to health care are among the important interventions to change the people’s health seeking behaviour and protect them from the potential risks of self-medications. Health care professionals mainly the pharmacist should consider patient counseling when distributing the drugs for reducing health risks from irrational medicine use.