ArticleBMC medical education2025
Knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacy students compared to other medical fields students regarding self-medication with OTC medicines in kosovo: a cross-sectional study.
Article in BMC medical education, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Influence of stress and knowledge on self-medication practices among pharmacy students: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
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2 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundSelf-medication with over-the-counter (OTC) medicines is a common global practice, yet it carries risks related to incorrect usage, delayed diagnosis, and adverse reactions. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding OTC self-medication among pharmacy students and those in other medical fields in Kosovo.
methodsA convenience sample of 800 students was targeted, and 625 completed questionnaires were returned (78.1% response rate). Participants were enrolled in Pharmacy, Nursing, Dentistry, and Physiotherapy at Bachelor's and Master's levels. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, employing descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to determine significant associations (p ≤ 0.05).
resultsOf the 625 respondents, 72.2% indicated current use of OTC drugs, while 56.2% reported having self-medicated in the last six months without consulting a healthcare professional. Headache (93.1%), flu/colds (81.8%), and vitamins (88.6%) were the most frequently cited reasons for OTC usage. Pharmacy students exhibited significantly higher knowledge of OTC medications (p = 0.001), and Master's-level students were slightly more knowledgeable than their Bachelor's-level counterparts (p = 0.03). Although 73.8% recognized that all medicines can cause adverse events, around 40-50% believed self-medication is safe without professional guidance. Females and pharmacy students more consistently checked expiry dates and reported a slightly lower tendency to consider self-medication completely safe.
conclusionSelf-medication with OTC medicines is prevalent among these student populations, particularly for managing mild symptoms. Pharmacy and graduate-level students demonstrated a stronger awareness of potential risks, highlighting the role of targeted education in promoting safer self-medication practices. Strengthening curricula to emphasize responsible OTC use and encouraging students to seek professional consultation when necessary could help mitigate associated risks.
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