Self medication--a growing concern.

ABSTRACT

31% persons practiced self medication. They were more in 31-40 years (26.9%) and 41-50 years (30.8%). Males were more than females in self prescribers. Illiterate (23.1%) and graduates (26%) were more common self medicators, while labourers (26%) and business men (19.3%) were more involved in self medication. Fever (17.4%), cough (22.2%), boils (7.6%) and acidity (6.8%) were the common complaints for self-prescription. Thus analgesics and antipyretics, (30.9%), tonics (16.1) and antibiotics (10.7%) were commonly used drugs by the customers. Most of the information of drugs was from friends or neighbours (30.8%) or chemist (23.1%).