| dc.description.abstract | 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. | en_US |
