Self-medication Practices towards Managing COVID-19 among Pharmacy Undergraduates at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: Self-medication has become a significant global health concern, particularly in developing countries, due to risks like delayed diagnosis, adverse drug interactions, and potential health complications. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened this issue as lockdowns and overburdened healthcare systems led individuals to rely on self-treatment. Misuse of drugs, including paracetamol, ibuprofen, and hydroxychloroquine, often led to severe side effects. In Sri Lanka, limited research exists on self-medication among pharmacy students, necessitating an in- depth exploration of their behaviours, motivations, and consequences of such practices. Objectives: To identify the drugs self-medicated for COVID-19 by pharmacy undergraduate students at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Ruhuna, and to identify common side effects experienced Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey using convenience sampling, was conducted among pharmacy undergraduate students (n=79) to collect data on self-medication practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire included questions on demographic information, types of drugs used, sources of information, and side effects experienced. The survey was conducted in 2023. Results: Majority of the students were between 22-24 years old (69.6%) and females (75.9%). It was revealed that a majority of students engaged in self-medication. The most commonly used drugs were paracetamol (58.2%), vitamins (39.2%), cetrizine (31.6%), chlorpheniramine (27.8%), omeprazole (17.7%) and amoxicillin (13.9%). Most students had used paracetamol for fever (24.1%) and headache (21.5%), amoxicillin for fever (7.6%), cetrizine (17.7%), and chlorpheniramine (8.9%) for runny nose. Common side effect experienced was abdominal discomfort (15.8%). Conclusions: This study provides insights into the self-medication practices among pharmacy undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight the need for better education and regulation to ensure safe medication practices and to address the reasons behind self-medication. Further research in the area is suggested to find the misuse of medicines due to self-medication.