Drug utilisation and self-medication in rural communities in Vietnam.
Reportedly 40-60% of people in Vietnam depend on self-medication. To assess the current situation of self-medication practices as compared with medication given by health professionals in rural areas in Vietnam, we conducted a cross sectional survey at household level. A total of 505 women with at least one child younger than 5 years of age were interviewed in their homes about their drug utilisation practices and attitudes toward medication, by using structured questionnaires. Of the 505 households, 138 stocked drugs for anticipated illness in the future. A total of 96 different antibiotics (in terms of generic type) were kept at 76 households. These antibiotics were kept mainly for coughs and diarrhoea. The self-medication group was twice as likely to use antibiotics than the other group. In addition, self-medication practice was increased when a mother kept medicines in the house. This study revealed that mistaken beliefs about medicines and undesirable attitudes toward medication were prevalent. Mothers used antibiotics as if such drugs were panaceas. In this context, there was insufficient public health education, no control over pharmaceutical promotion, and no efficient drug policy and regulation. More attention should be given to consumers and patients as the ultimate users of drugs so that they can access accurate information, assess the reliability of information and ask necessary questions.
Okumura
Junko
J
Department of International Community Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan. jokumura@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Wakai
Susumu
S
Umenai
Takusei
T
D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004346:Drug Information Services; D018954:Drugs, Essential / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006300:Health Services Misuse; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D012424:Rural Population; D012646:Self Administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014744:Vietnam
D000700:Analgesics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018954:Drugs, Essential