Self-medication practices and associated knowledge among health sciences students: A cross-sectional study
Deepshikha Ghimire, Santosh Gaihre, Padma Prasad Khatiwada, Pasang Tamang, Dikshya Khadka, Alisha Ghale, Muhammad Abid, Dev AcharyaObjectives
To investigate the prevalence, knowledge, and factors associated with self-medication among students at the University of Wolverhampton, UK, including examination of medication knowledge, advertising influences, and awareness of harmful effects.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among health and public health students at the University of Wolverhampton. A pre-tested, structured online questionnaire collected data on demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and self-medication practices. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Wolverhampton Faculty Ethics Committee, and all participants provided written informed consent prior to their participation in the study. Data were analysed using SPSS, with descriptive statistics presented as frequencies and percentages, and binary logistic regression to examine associations between self-medication and socio-demographic variables (p < 0.05).
Results
A total of 106 students were invited to participate, and 50 completed the questionnaire, yielding a response rate of 47.2%. Reasons for non-participation were not collected, as the anonymous survey design precluded tracking of individual non-respondents. Of 50 respondents, 60% reported practising self-medication in the past three months. Female students (76%) and master’s students (79%) were more likely to engage in self-medication than male students (24%) and bachelor’s students (6%). All participants were aware of self-medication, with 92% recognising dangerous drug interactions and 76% aware of organ damage and other risks. Common sources of information included the internet (86%), parents/relatives (76%), and friends (64%). Pain relievers, cough/cold medications, and antihistamines were the most frequently used drugs, primarily for minor illnesses such as headaches and colds/flu. Binary logistic regression showed significant associations between gender and year of study with self-medication prevalence.
Conclusion
Self-medication is widespread among university students, despite high awareness of its potential risks. Female and master’s students are particularly prone to self-medication. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational interventions, university-based health promotion strategies, and stricter over-the-counter medicine regulations to ensure responsible self-medication. Future research should include larger, multicentre studies and explore cultural influences on self-medication behaviours.