Prevalence and Associated Factors of Irrational Drug use Among Students of Mili University
Keywords: Attitude, Irrational use of medicine, Knowledge, Practice, Reasons, Self-medication, Unprescribed use of medicines
Zabihullah Saleh
Abstract
The irrational use of medicine remains a key health problem in many developing countries. The prevalence of irrational drug use and the associated factors were investigated among the medical and stomatology students of Mili University. Study was approved by research committee of Mili University. Before filling in the questionnaire each participant had to give consent and tick the option then they could fill the questionnaire. Online questionnaire was used and data collected from 260 participants. Data was analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 26) Descriptive analysis was performed. It was found that antibiotics (40.5%) and painkillers (33.2%) were the most used non-prescription drugs among the 260 participants, who reported using them 67.6% of the time. Many participants (85.3%) adhered to their doctors' instructions, but a few percentages were influenced by self-medication and suggestions from friends or relatives. 52.5% of respondents said they had recently used it within the last 30 days. Financial limitations, easy access to prescription drugs, and perceived knowledge were important factors linked to non-prescription drug usage; 76.1%respondents claimed being aware of drug side effects. Long-term use was noted in 29.7% of participants. Non-prescription drug use is highly prevalent among students, particularly for antibiotics and painkillers. Despite moderate awareness of potential side effects, self-medication persists, influenced by financial constraints, easy access to medications, and perceived knowledge. Most students follow doctors’ recommendations, but family, friends, and online sources also play a role. These findings highlight the need for educational programs and regulatory measures to promote rational drug use and minimize the risks associated with inappropriate self-medication.
