A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SELF-MEDICATION BEHAVIORS WITH ANTIBIOTICS AMONG MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL COLLEGE STUDENTS OF SOUTH PUNJAB

Abstract

BACKGROUND: All over the world, self-medication is common, which facilitates procedures but increases risks such as antibiotic resistance. Social media-influenced college students show concerning self-medication behaviors. Students from undergraduate level of medical, nursing, and non-health sciences schools participated in this cross-sectional study to evaluate their attitudes, knowledge, and self-medication practices. 

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Approaching undergraduate students those were 19 years of age or older, this descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted at educational institutions between 2023 and 2024. Socio-demographics data, antibiotic self-medication, and the knowledge related to it and collected through validated questionnaire. To improve the statistical power, the sample size was 755. For data analysis, SPSS version 26 was used.

RESULTS: Analysis of data revealed that a significant percentage of students use antibiotics as a form of self-medication. Convenience was the main concern for medical students, while cost-cutting and mistrust of physicians were the main concerns for non-medical students. Throat soreness was the most often reported self-medication complaint. While non-medical students sought advice from local stores, medical students used textbooks to find the information they needed. Surprisingly, medical students used medicines mostly based on their prior knowledge and experiences, while non-medical students frequently bought antibiotics from stores, leaving them open to incorrect diagnosis and treatment.

CONCLUSION: This emphasizes how crucial it is to put particular treatments into place to teach the students risky self-medication behaviors.