Knowledge and Practices Regarding Over-the-Counter Drug Use for Self-Care Among Students from Various Medical Faculties in a Low- and Middle-Income Country

Abstract

Background:

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are vital for promoting self-care, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Nepal. Since health science students will play a key role in future healthcare delivery, their knowledge and behavior regarding OTC drug use are particularly important. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the knowledge and self-care practices related to OTC drug use among students of medicine, pharmacy, and nursing, and to assess how their educational background influences these practices.

Methods:

A multicenter comparative cross-sectional study was carried out in three health science colleges affiliated with different universities in Nepal. The study included a total of 129 students from various health science disciplines: 77 from medicine, 23 from pharmacy, and 29 from nursing. The research assessed students' knowledge and practices related to OTC drug use and analyzed the relationship between these factors and various socio-demographic characteristics

Results:

The majority of students demonstrated a moderate to low level of understanding and practice concerning the use of OTC drugs. While understanding scores were similar among the different faculties, medical students had the highest percentage of good understanding (7.8%). Pharmacy students recorded the highest average practice scores (4.34%). A considerable portion of the students reported using OTC medications without seeking advice from healthcare professionals, primarily due to convenience. No statistically significant differences were found in the levels of understanding or practice related to OTC drug use across socio-demographic variables, including academic discipline.

Conclusion:

The study revealed a widespread deficiency in knowledge and suboptimal practices regarding OTC drug use among health science students. These results emphasize the importance of enhancing educational efforts and implementing stronger regulations to encourage safe and responsible self-medication.