title: Self-medication amongst university students of Karachi: prevalence, knowledge and attitudes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence, attitude and knowledge of self-medication amongst university students of Karachi, Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional, study was conducted from Jan-Feb 2007. A convenience sample was taken from 2 medical and 2 non-medical universities of the city of Karachi, Pakistan. Data was analyzed using SPSS v 14 and associations were tested using the Chi square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 572 participants (mean age=21 +/- 1.8 years, Male: Female ratio=1:1.5), 295 were medical and 277 were non-medical students. The prevalence of self-medication was 76%. Forty three percent students stated that they alter the regimen of prescribed medicines while 61.9% stated that they stop taking a prescribed medicine without consulting a doctor. The most common reason for self-medication was previous experience (50.1%) and the most common symptoms were headache (72.4%), flu (65.5%), and fever (55.2%). Commonly used medicines were analgesics (88.3%), antipyretics (65.1%) and antibiotics (35.2%). Eighty seven percent of students thought self-medication could be harmful and 82.5% students thought that it was necessary to consult a doctor before taking a new medicine. There was no significant difference between the self medication practices of medical and non medical students (p=0.8)
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of self-medication is high in the educated youth, despite majority being aware of its harmful effects. There is a need to educate the youth to ensure safe practices. Strict policies need to be implemented on the advertising and selling of medications to prevent this problem from escalating.
authors.affiliation: Aga Khan University, Karachi.
authors.forename: Syed Nabeel
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Zafar
authors.forename: Reema
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waqar
authors.forename: Akbar Jaleel
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Zubairi
authors.forename: Talha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vaqar
authors.forename: Mehrine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shaikh
authors.forename: Wajeeha
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yousaf
authors.forename: Saman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahid
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saleem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*