Self-medication practices among the tribal people of Rangamati: A questionnaire-based study
Qufshe Bardar Oais Fazlul Baqui, Johora F, Anee H, N Afreen and Begum H A
Army Medical College Bogra, Bangladesh
Prime Medical College, Bangladesh
: J Pharm Drug Deliv Res
Abstract
In developing countries, self-medication is commonly practiced. Current study was conducted in Rangamati, southern part of Bangladesh with the attempt to explore the practice of self-medication among the tribal people. Previously briefed 4th year medical students of Prime Medical College, Rangpur, Bangladesh, using a structured questionnaire, carried out the study on 88 respondents. 47.2% of studied population was Chakma. Out of 88, 53 respondents (60.1%) had taken some kind of self-medication in the 6-month period preceding the study. 102 drugs were consumed by 53 respondents and average number of drugs consumed by 53 respondents was 1.9 drugs per person. The common reasons given for self-medication were headache and fever. Paracetamol was the most commonly used drug for self-medication (43.4%). A significantly higher proportion of young (<40 years) male respondents had used self-medication than other groups. The study revealed that practice of self-medications common among the tribal population of the Rangamati. Patient education on self-medication is the need of the hour for ensuring rational use of drugs.
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