Prevalence and determinants of self medication use among the adult population residing in a sub urban areas near Chennai, Tamil Nadu

BACKGROUND: Self-medication in urban population seems to increase but the available information is scarce. It is essential to generate evidence regarding the burden and determinants to plan for a public health intervention to address this problem. Our study is an attempt to ascertain the research may show the prevalence and determinants of self-medication among adults population of urban Tamil Nadu. METHODS: A community-based cross sectional study was conducted among 408 adults residing in a sub urban areas near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Probability proportionate to size of sampling technique (PPS) was used to decide the number of adults to be included in the study. House to house interview was done using a predesigned, pretested questionnaire. Informed written consent was obtained from the participants. RESULTS: Around 132 out of 406 of our study population (32.5%, 95% CI: 27.9, 37.06) reported that they are using self-medication at least once in the past 6 months. It was found that males are 1.5 times more likely to use self-medication than females (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.39, P value: 0.036) and younger adults (age <30 years) are 55% less likely to use self-medication than the adults greater than 30 years (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.72, P value: 0.001). CONCLUSION: Increasing prevalence of self-medication use qualifies it to be considered as the public health problem. Gender discrimination and lack of prioritizing geriatric heath care needs in a routine health system are some of the other problems identified. These problems have to be addressed by the public health planners and policy makers to provide equitable and quality health care.