
Self-medication is a significant global and a potential contributor to rampant irrational drug use without medical guidance resulting into inappropriate, incorrect or undue therapy, miss diagnosis, delays in appropriate treatment, resistance and increased problems/side effects caused by the drug.
Studies show that its very common practice especially in developing countries or communities.
It can be defined as ‘the use of drugs to treat self diagnosed disorders or symptoms, or continuous or non continuous use of a prescribed drug for chronic or recurrent disease or symptoms or literally defined as the taking of drugs, herbs or home remedies on one’s own initiative or on the advice of another person, without consulting a doctor.
What really influences people to do self medicate or use certain drugs?
Patients/Individual: Lack of adequate information about a given drug they are given like its use, side effects or adverse effects for their use.
Some people also have misleading beliefs hence affecting their benefit from certain drugs like religious beliefs that don’t permit use of family planning methods or blood transfusion.
Health worker or prescribers: Heavy patient loads and pressure to prescribers as seen commonly in public health facilities is another factor that has lead to information shortages given to patients regarding the drugs they use hence tendency to repeatedly use the drug not prescribed for.
Sometimes lack adequate knowledge or training on the use of a given drug to the prescriber.
Industry: Most manufacturers have a tendency of giving misleading claims about a drug like “Instant cure” while omitting negative information like side effects during promotions of drugs in media platforms.
The law, drug and drug supply: When there is poor control/regulation of drugs by the Drug authorities, it makes the drug to be readily available for use by even non prescribers and public.
Why do people self medicate?
Feeling of sympathy towards family members in sickness.
Lack of time to visit health facility.
Ignorance about the drug.
Increased urge to self-care.
Lack of finances to access better care.
Lack of easily accessible health services.
Extensive advertisements.
Misbelieves, environment & culture.
Availability of drugs to everyone in the community.
What are the risks/dangers associated in case someone self medicates.
Individual:
Incorrect self-diagnosis.
Failure to seek appropriate medical advice promptly.
Incorrect choice of therapy.
Failure to recognize special pharmacological risks.
Failure to recognize or self-diagnosis contraindications, interactions, warnings and precautions.
Failure to recognize that the same active substance is taken under a different brand name.
Double medication / harmful interactions{ patient not reporting about self-medication}.
Incorrect route of administration.
Low or excessive dosage.
Excessively prolonged use.
Inability to recognize adverse drug effects like liver injury.
Incorrect storage conditions/ beyond the recommended shelf life.
Dependence and abuse of the drug.
Some ways to try to limit/control self medication.
Healthcare professionals have a great role in preventing the risks associated with this practice because they understand best the 3 aspects of therapeutic professionalism i.e. Information, therapeutic advice and education.
Information.
After prescribing drugs, give proper instructions and explain adverse effects expected, dosage, benefits of the drug given,
Note that given information should be at a patient’s comprehension level so that it will be helpful for them to understand their management.
Health workers let’s try our best to always practice these: Right Patient, Right Drug, Right Time, Right Dose, Right Route.
Conclusion:
Self medication is a very common practice in our communities, let’s stop this bad habit and embrace only using drugs that have been prescribed to us by qualified healthcare givers as per the condition that we are having, Endeavor to ask relevant information from your care giver about a drug since the dangers of this practice can lead to body organ failure and eventually death.
Refferences:
Guidelines for the regulatory assessment of medicinal products for use in self medication. Geneva,World Health Organisation,2000.
Self medication a growing concern.Deshpande SG,Tiwari R. Indian Journal Med Sci.1997;51:93-96.
Author: Dr. Joshua Emuget
Medical Officer - Clinison Medical Centre Soroti
Comments