Prevalence and Pattern of Self-Medication Practices of Attenders in a Private University in Chennai

Introduction: Consumption of non-prescription medicines is widely practiced in both developed and developing countries. It has been recognized that inappropriate and uncontrolled self-medication results in wastage of resources, increase resistance to pathogens, adverse drug reactions and drug dependence. Aim and Objectives: 1. To study the prevalence and pattern of self-medication over the past 1 year among attenders above 18years in a private university in Chennai.2. To study the factors associated with self-medication Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted for a period of 2 months among attenders in a private University in Chennai.200 individuals aged 18years were randomly selected from the list of attenders working in the university and were interviewed using orally administered structured questionnaire. Results: Out of the 168 attenders who fell sick 123 (73.2 %) had used self-medication within 1year recall period. The practice of self-medication was more common among females and those having higher secondary education and above (p