Self-Medication Practices in India: a Review Article

Abstract

 Self-medication is common in many developing countries. Several factors influence the use of self-medication practices such as educational level, gender, cultural practice, socioeconomic status, and other factors. It is observed form the studies in India that there is a varying prevalence reported by different researchers in different parts of India. Though there is a variance in reported findings among the prevalence these studies findings signal that the self-medication practice among the people is an alarming problem in India. Studies show that self-medication is prevalent among females than males. The highest proportion of subjects who practised self-medication was aged between 35 and 60. Results of research studies reported that people take self-medication for a minor illness like headache, fever, pain, abdominal problems and diarrhoea^. A study reviewed in the present paper provides useful insight into the reasons and types of the practices of self-medication.

Keyword: Self-medication practices, WHO, self-diagnosed disorders

Cite this Article

G. Balamurgan, M. Vijayarani. Self-Medication Practices in India: a Review Article. Trends in Drug Delivery. 2019; 6(2): 17–20p.