{"title":"A cross sectional study regarding the self medication practices and its associated factors among residents of Bhubaneswar city, Odisha","authors":"Amrita Burma , Om Prakash Panigrahi , Anshuman Panigrahi , Deepak Kumar , Anand Patankar","doi":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.102013","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Self-medication, though often perceived as a convenient and cost-effective solution for minor ailments, poses significant public health risks. It can lead to inappropriate drug use, delayed medical consultation, antimicrobial resistance, and adverse drug reactions. This issue is particularly concerning in developing countries like India. The practice is influenced by various socioeconomic and cultural factors. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of self-medication among residents of Bhubaneswar city, Odisha.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 393 participants residing in Bhubaneswar City, Orissa. The association between self-medication and various influencing factors was analyzed using the Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the participants, 79.90 % (n = 314) reported practicing self-medication. Younger individuals (p value = 0.007) and those from the upper and middle socioeconomic strata (p value = 0.01) were significantly associated in self-medication practices. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified key factors positively related to self-medication: access to health insurance benefits (adjusted OR = 5.88), participants’ perceived knowledge about self-medication (adjusted OR = 5.69), and the presence of self-medication practices among family members (adjusted OR = 2.13).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The prevalence of self-medication was high in Bhubaneswar, particularly among younger individuals and those with higher socioeconomic status. It is influenced by various factors like individuals' perception about self medications, their perceptions of pharmacists' expertise, and the presence of health insurance. It highlights the need for targeted awareness campaigns to educate the public on the risks of self-medication and promote responsible health-seeking behaviors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46404,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 102013"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213398425001022","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction
Self-medication, though often perceived as a convenient and cost-effective solution for minor ailments, poses significant public health risks. It can lead to inappropriate drug use, delayed medical consultation, antimicrobial resistance, and adverse drug reactions. This issue is particularly concerning in developing countries like India. The practice is influenced by various socioeconomic and cultural factors. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of self-medication among residents of Bhubaneswar city, Odisha.
Materials and methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 393 participants residing in Bhubaneswar City, Orissa. The association between self-medication and various influencing factors was analyzed using the Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis.
Results
Among the participants, 79.90 % (n = 314) reported practicing self-medication. Younger individuals (p value = 0.007) and those from the upper and middle socioeconomic strata (p value = 0.01) were significantly associated in self-medication practices. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified key factors positively related to self-medication: access to health insurance benefits (adjusted OR = 5.88), participants’ perceived knowledge about self-medication (adjusted OR = 5.69), and the presence of self-medication practices among family members (adjusted OR = 2.13).
Conclusion
The prevalence of self-medication was high in Bhubaneswar, particularly among younger individuals and those with higher socioeconomic status. It is influenced by various factors like individuals' perception about self medications, their perceptions of pharmacists' expertise, and the presence of health insurance. It highlights the need for targeted awareness campaigns to educate the public on the risks of self-medication and promote responsible health-seeking behaviors.
期刊介绍:
Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health (CEGH) is a multidisciplinary journal and it is published four times (March, June, September, December) a year. The mandate of CEGH is to promote articles on clinical epidemiology with focus on developing countries in the context of global health. We also accept articles from other countries. It publishes original research work across all disciplines of medicine and allied sciences, related to clinical epidemiology and global health. The journal publishes Original articles, Review articles, Evidence Summaries, Letters to the Editor. All articles published in CEGH are peer-reviewed and published online for immediate access and citation.