title: Self medication--a growing concern.
abstract: 31% persons practiced self medication. They were more in 31-40 years (26.9%) and 41-50 years (30.8%). Males were more than females in self prescribers. Illiterate (23.1%) and graduates (26%) were more common self medicators, while labourers (26%) and business men (19.3%) were more involved in self medication. Fever (17.4%), cough (22.2%), boils (7.6%) and acidity (6.8%) were the common complaints for self-prescription. Thus analgesics and antipyretics, (30.9%), tonics (16.1) and antibiotics (10.7%) were commonly used drugs by the customers. Most of the information of drugs was from friends or neighbours (30.8%) or chemist (23.1%).
authors.affiliation: Deptt. of Prev. & Social Medicine, Govt. Medical College, Nagpur.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tiwari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D012307:Risk Factors; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D017678:Sex Distribution
chemical_list: D004366:Nonprescription Drugs