Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice regarding Over the Counter Drugs among Basic Science Medical Students of a Medical College: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Over-the-counter drugs are medicines that are sold without the prescription of medical persons. In Nepal over-the-counter drugs are categorized as Group GA drugs, whereas prescription drugs are those drugs that are dispensed only to consumers possessing a valid prescription. However, inappropriate self-medication can have a number of potential risks (such as failure to diagnose contraindications, risk of double medication, risk of dependence and abuse), etc. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding over the counter drugs among basic science medical students.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among the basic science students of a medical college from 27 Sep 2024 to 27 Dec 2024 after getting ethical approval from Institutional Review Committee. Convenience sampling technique was used. All the students willing were enrolled in the study after written informed consent. Data collected were entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed in IBM SPSS Statistics version 22. Descriptive analyses were done.

Results: The majority of the participants, 134 (64.1%) were male. Majority, 135 (64.6%) were 21-23 years old with mean and standard deviations (21.33±1.39). Almost all 97.6% knew over the counter drugs were sold directly without a prescription. Students had good knowledge 77%, good practice 61.2%, and positive attitude 61.2% towards over-the-counter drugs.

Conclusions: The majority of students had good knowledge, good practice, and a positive attitude regarding over-the-counter drugs.