Prevalence and determinants of self- medication practices among general population: A cross-sectional study in Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram, Bangladesh
Background: Self-medication is a global phenomenon and a potential contributor to negative health consequences on human health including emergence of antibiotic drug resistance globally. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and determinants of self-medicati...
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| Materiálatiipa: | Artihkal |
| Giella: | eaŋgalasgiella |
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Journal of Public Heath Research
2025
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| Liŋkkat: | https://repository.auw.edu.bd/handle/123456789/849 |
| _version_ | 1857449040777576448 |
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| author | Saha, Ayan |
| author_facet | Saha, Ayan |
| author_sort | Saha, Ayan |
| collection | institutional Repository |
| description | Background: Self-medication is a global phenomenon and a potential contributor to negative health consequences on
human health including emergence of antibiotic drug resistance globally.
Objective: The primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and determinants of self-medication in
Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram, Bangladesh, two neighbouring South Asian country.
Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram,
Bangladesh. A pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic
characteristics, health status and self-medication practices in the previous year.
Results: Out of the 998 recruited participants, 61.8% (170/275) from Thimphu and 41.5% (300/723) from Chattogram
reported self-medication practices in last year of interview. In Thimphu, eye/ear infection (90.9%), fever (84.9%), headache
(80.5%) and cough and cold (78.2%) were the major illnesses reported for self-medication, whereas in Chattogram people
mostly self-medicated for skin disorder (74.4%), diarrhoeal illness (59.1%) and eye/ear infection (48.1%). Knowledge on
side-effects of the drugs taken for self-medication was comparatively higher in Thimphu than in Chattogram. Both in
Thimphu and Chattogram, higher odds of self-medication were found for common illnesses with adjusted OR 7.8; 95%
CI 3.3–18.4 and adjusted OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.4–2.8, respectively in Thimphu and Chattogram.
Conclusion: Self-medication was found to be substantially high in both the cities, however, rate of self-medication was
higher in Thimphu compared to Chattogram. Knowledge and awareness raising about harmful effect of self-medication
and effective regulation over selling of prescription medication in pharmacies should be strengthened in both countries. |
| format | Article |
| id | 123456789-849 |
| institution | Asian University for Women |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Journal of Public Heath Research |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | 123456789-8492026-02-18T06:15:04Z Prevalence and determinants of self- medication practices among general population: A cross-sectional study in Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram, Bangladesh Saha, Ayan Self-medication, prevalence, determinants, Bhutan, Bangladesh Background: Self-medication is a global phenomenon and a potential contributor to negative health consequences on human health including emergence of antibiotic drug resistance globally. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and determinants of self-medication in Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram, Bangladesh, two neighbouring South Asian country. Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram, Bangladesh. A pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics, health status and self-medication practices in the previous year. Results: Out of the 998 recruited participants, 61.8% (170/275) from Thimphu and 41.5% (300/723) from Chattogram reported self-medication practices in last year of interview. In Thimphu, eye/ear infection (90.9%), fever (84.9%), headache (80.5%) and cough and cold (78.2%) were the major illnesses reported for self-medication, whereas in Chattogram people mostly self-medicated for skin disorder (74.4%), diarrhoeal illness (59.1%) and eye/ear infection (48.1%). Knowledge on side-effects of the drugs taken for self-medication was comparatively higher in Thimphu than in Chattogram. Both in Thimphu and Chattogram, higher odds of self-medication were found for common illnesses with adjusted OR 7.8; 95% CI 3.3–18.4 and adjusted OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.4–2.8, respectively in Thimphu and Chattogram. Conclusion: Self-medication was found to be substantially high in both the cities, however, rate of self-medication was higher in Thimphu compared to Chattogram. Knowledge and awareness raising about harmful effect of self-medication and effective regulation over selling of prescription medication in pharmacies should be strengthened in both countries. 2025-07-30T03:58:16Z 2025-07-30T03:58:16Z 2023 Article https://repository.auw.edu.bd/handle/123456789/849 en application/pdf Journal of Public Heath Research |
| spellingShingle | Self-medication, prevalence, determinants, Bhutan, Bangladesh Saha, Ayan Prevalence and determinants of self- medication practices among general population: A cross-sectional study in Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram, Bangladesh |
| title | Prevalence and determinants of self- medication practices among general population: A cross-sectional study in Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram, Bangladesh |
| title_full | Prevalence and determinants of self- medication practices among general population: A cross-sectional study in Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram, Bangladesh |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence and determinants of self- medication practices among general population: A cross-sectional study in Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram, Bangladesh |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence and determinants of self- medication practices among general population: A cross-sectional study in Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram, Bangladesh |
| title_short | Prevalence and determinants of self- medication practices among general population: A cross-sectional study in Thimphu, Bhutan and Chattogram, Bangladesh |
| title_sort | prevalence and determinants of self medication practices among general population a cross sectional study in thimphu bhutan and chattogram bangladesh |
| topic | Self-medication, prevalence, determinants, Bhutan, Bangladesh |
| url | https://repository.auw.edu.bd/handle/123456789/849 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sahaayan prevalenceanddeterminantsofselfmedicationpracticesamonggeneralpopulationacrosssectionalstudyinthimphubhutanandchattogrambangladesh |