A STUDY ON SELF-MEDICATION PRACTICES AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG MBBS STUDENTS IN DURGAPUR, WEST BENGAL

Background: Self-medication is the practice of using drugs without the guidance of a trained health care professional. With the increase in antimicrobial resistance among the masses, this study aims to find the prevalence & behavioral pattern of the practice of self-medication among undergraduate medical students. Materials & Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 427 MBBS students. The questionnaire was distributed among students via a Google link that was created for this purpose. Result: Our study found that the prevalence of self- medication practice was 74.5%, of whom 71.4% practice self-medication rarely, i.e., once or twice in a year. Practice of self-medication was found to be higher among the female (77.6%) students as compared to the male (71.6%) students. Practice of self- medication was found to be higher among hostelites (76%) when compared to the day scholars (69.8%). 84.2% of the 3rd year MBBS students were found to practice self-medication, which was found to be the highest when compared with students belonging to rest of the academic years. Almost 75% of the students with no history of chronic/recurrent diseases practice self-medication. Almost 75% of the students with no known family members with recurrent/chronic diseases practice self-medication. Conclusion: Self-medication is an alarming concept. The faculties need to step up the process of health education so that the rising trend of this practice that also among the undergraduate MBBS students, can be halted.