Abstract:
Self-medication is globally practiced, and its prevalence is rising among mothers
administering drugs to their young children. Though self-medication is convenient,
it carries important risks of inappropriate medication, adverse drug reactions,
and accidental overdose, especially in vulnerable pediatric populations.
This study aimed to assess self-medication practices and awareness among mothers
of 3–5-year-old children in the Matara Municipality area, Sri Lanka.A descriptive,
cross-sectional study was conducted enrolling five randomly selected
preschools in the Matara Municipality area. Data were collected from a total
of 313 mothers through an interviewer-administered questionnaire that assessed
socio-demographic characteristics, recent use of self-medication, history of illnesses,
and awareness, attitudes, and practices of self-medication. Data were
analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 with descriptive statistics and chi-square test to
identify associations among selected variables. The prevalence of self-medication
among mothers was 89.5%. Paracetamol (84%) and antihistamines were the common
self-medications mothers used for their children; the antihistamines were
Piriton (52.1%) and Cetirizine (35.1%). Most participants (67.1%) reported the
internet as their main source of information. Most children had suffered from
common cold (65.2%), cough (44.1%), and fever (39.9%) in the last 30 days.
Only 15% of mothers showed high awareness about the risks of self-medication,
and 72.8% had a moderate level of awareness. Self-medication awareness was significantly
associated with maternal education (p<0.001), occupation (p ≤ 0.001),
and family income (p<0.001). In addition, socio-demographic factors were shown
to affect attitudes and practices as well. This study further identified knowledge
gaps in the areas of drug overdosing and adverse effects. Self-medication is a very
common practice among a high majority of mothers in the Matara Municipality
area, and there is a significant lack of awareness about the risks of medication
and their proper use. Educational interventions for mothers are urgently needed.
