SELF MEDICATION PRACTICES

Introduction: Obtaining and consuming drugs without the advice of physician either for diagnosis, prescription or surveillanceis called Self medication. Self medication has been a natural tendency of mankind at all times to relief their discomfort. Objectives: To assessthe self medication practices and the factors influencing self medication practices among the people living in Ghulam Mohammad Abad,Faisalabad. Study design: A Descriptive Cross -Sectional Study. Setting: Population of Ghulam Mohammad Abad, largest colony ofFaisalabad. Material & methods: By simple random technique a sample of 369 people living in Ghulam Mohammad Abad were selected. A pre-tested questionnaire was filled by interviewing each individual. Results: Prevalence of self medication found in study group was 61.20%. Anincrease pattern of self medication practices were found in the younger age group (15-35 years) which were 64.8 %. Self medication practicewas found more in male (64.5%) as compared to female (58.5%). The unmarried persons as compared to married were involved 8% more in selfmedication. Similarly 11% increase pattern of self medication was observed amongst the respondents belonging to nuclear family (66.9%) ascompared to extended type of family status (55.9%). There were 13.60% more practices of self medication in urban population (64.2%) ascompared to rural (50.6%) and self medication was observed in illiterate (50.4%) and in matric level education (62.3%) and persons havingeducation above matric (74.4%). The prevalence of self medication was more among skilled labor (75.9%) as compared to (54.9%) in unskilledlabor. Conclusions: An increase pattern of self medication practices were found in the younger age group. As for as the gender is concerned itis more in the male as compared to female. Unmarried persons as compared to married persons were involved more in self medication. It ismore in persons belonging to nuclear family status and also more in urban population as compared to rural population. Furthermore uneducatedand respondents having education up to matric are more involve in self-medication practice. Advice of person selling medicine at medical storewere having more affect on self medication. No reason for the use of drugs and un–affordability are also the determinants of increased selfmedication.