Morbidity Profile and Self-medication Practice among the Non-Medical Workers Employed at a Private Health Care Institute in Mangaluru: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Self medication is a public health concern at global level considering the rise of drug resistance cases. There are no published studies in India regarding the burden of self medication among Non medical workers employed at a private health care institute. So this study was undertaken with the following objectives: (1) To know morbidity profile and to find out preferential condition for self medication, (2) To identify the portal of access to drugs for self medication among the Non medical workers employed at a private health care institute. Materials and Methods: An interview based descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among the Non medical workers employed at a prominent private health care institute of Mangalore city. Non-medical workers were assessed for their: (1) Morbidity (health condition suffered in last one year) status, (2) Preferential health condition for self-medication and (3) Portal of access to drugs for self medication. The data was analysed using SPSS Software for windows, version 16.0. The results are presented as frequencies and proportions in appropriate tables. Results: Three hundred twenty Non medical workers had participated in the study. More than half (53.8%) of the respondents were between 25 to Key words: Non-medical workers, Self-medication, Morbidity, Private health care institute.