Prevalence and determinants of self-medication among medical undergraduates: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Self-medication is the practice of accessing and using different drugs for various purposes, including self-diagnosis and self-treatment without consulting a healthcare professional. Health science students, particularly medical students, are at the forefront of the future healthcare workforce. This KAP study provides insights into the prevalence, attitude, knowledge, and practices of self-medication among medical students. Methods: The study employed an institutional-based cross-sectional study design and was conducted from May 2024 to August 2024. The study had a sample size of 203, calculated through openepi.com with a 95% confidence interval and a 5% margin of error. The participants of the study were selected randomly using a two-stage stratified random sampling technique. A pre-tested questionnaire, adapted from a similar study, was compiled in English, and all vague and unclear questions were rephrased or removed from the questionnaire. All the data collectors were trained, and data quality was ensured through supervision by the research team. The ethical aspects were upheld by obtaining informed consent, ensuring voluntary participation, maintaining participant confidentiality, and obtaining approval from the ethics review board. Results: 191 students (48 from first year, 47 from second year, 48 from third year, 22 from fourth year, and 26 from final year) responded to the questionnaire, with a response rate of 94%. 76.9% of the respondents had practiced self-medication at least once within the last 6 months. All the students in the study had satisfactory knowledge about self-medication, with a mean knowledge score of 5.32 ± 0.86. 69.6% had a positive attitude towards self-medication, with a mean attitude score of 21.26 ± 3.12. The most commonly self-consumed drugs were analgesics (28.3%), followed by self-consumption of more than one drug (26.2%) during the last 6 months. 33.5% of the participants self-treated for more than one indication, followed by 28.3% for headache and 12.0% for fever during the last 6 months. Conclusion: The study findings indicate that there is a significantly high prevalence of self-medication practice among medical students. A majority of the students had good knowledge and a positive attitude toward self-medication, suggesting a high level of awareness and understanding regarding self-medication. Most students prefer self-medication because it is quick, easy, and convenient for them. However, there is still a need to conduct further research to explore the factors influencing these behaviors and assess the actual self-medication practices in real-life scenarios.