RESUMEN
Background Self-medication (SM), a common practice globally, possesses a dual challenge of being a self-care strategy and a potential source of harm observed across all age groups. The study is being conducted to gauge the prevalence of SM of prescription drugs with their over-the-counter access, thus addressing the delicate balance between self-care and self-harm related to SM. Material and methods This ongoing convergent parallel mixed method study with quantitative and qualitative components will be conducted on a sample size of 180 subjects aged more than 18 years from an urban community. For the quantitative component, a semi-structured questionnaire will assess the prevalence of SM, types of medications used, reasons for self-medicating, and socio-demographic factors influencing these practices. Concurrently, qualitative interviews delve deeper into the beliefs shaping SM practices. Sampling will be purposive to capture diverse perspectives, with data analyzed using statistical tools. Results This study protocol will offer a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence and determinants of SM practices. The quantitative data provide numerical insights into SM trends, while the qualitative findings elucidate the nuanced factors driving individuals' SM choices. Conclusions A multifaceted view of SM practices will be provided, aiding in developing interventions to promote safe and effective self-care while mitigating the risks of self-harm through SM. Anticipated findings can include a widespread prevalence of SM amongst the general urban populace. Significant associations can also be expected to be found with various independent variables. The results will be instrumental in informing public health policies and healthcare practices toward enhancing patient safety and well-being.
RESUMEN
The ageing population is increasingly using self-medication due to comorbidities. Most people who self-medicate use over-the-counter (OTC) medications bought from private pharmacies as their primary source of medicine. The use of self-medication may lead to an increased risk of unfavourable health outcomes. People over the age of 65 are more vulnerable to adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Our article aims to gain insights into self-medication in the geriatric population. We searched the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) via Google Scholar and PubMed databases. The PubMed search technique was customised for each database and was as follows: (self-medication (Title/Abstract)) AND (geriatric (Title/Abstract) OR elderly (Title/Abstract) OR old (Title/Abstract)). Also, we used other databases like the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MOHFW) under the Government of India, etc. The keywords used for the search strategy were 'over-the-counter drugs', adverse drug reactions', self-prescribed drugs', and non-prescription drugs'. Articles that were not relevant to the review topic are excluded. Through our review, we found that most geriatric people use self-medication because of their previous experience with that medication, a lack of seriousness regarding the consequences of using OTC medications, and suggestions from family members, friends, or neighbours. Abdominal pain, headache, cough, joint pain, and fever are the conditions for which the geriatric age group mainly uses self-medication. The primary source of self-medication is directly from the pharmacy, and the most commonly consumed drug for self-medication is analgesics. Most people know about the risks associated with self-medication. However, people continue to participate in this risky self-medication behaviour to get quick relief from a mild illness. This issue can be resolved by providing such a group with free consultations or medical insurance. Pharmacists' role in self-medication is also important. Counselling regarding the hazards of self-medication and selling the drugs to consumers without a doctor's prescription must be avoided.