Abstract
Objectives: To understand the pattern of dispensing of OTC drugs by community pharmacists and to assess knowledge, attitude and practices of second year MBBS students, interns and community pharmacists about over the counter drug usage.
Methods: A prospective, cross sectional, observational, questionnaire based study was conducted among community pharmacists, second year MBBS students and interns. A questionnaire comprising of 20 questions about OTC drugs was distributed to them.
Results: It has been shown in our study that on an average 50% participants had knowledge about definition of OTC drugs, the deciding authority of OTC drugs and their misuse. 56% second year MBBS students and 38% of pharmacists answered that adverse drug reactions due to OTC drugs should be reported to the doctors. While 36% pharmacists were not aware about the reporting of adverse drug reactions. Analgesics were the most commonly used class of drugs followed by antipyretics and antacids. 74% medical students and 62% interns preferred OTC drugs due to ease and convenience while 62% pharmacists opined that patients preferred OTC drugs due to lack of time to consult the doctor.
Conclusion: Present study shows that analgesics were the most commonly used class of drug followed by antipyretics and antacids.It has been observed in our study that lack of time to consult the doctor, the ease and convenience of OTC drugs are the most common reasons for their increasing use. Greater vigilance for adverse reactions is needed and the reporting system should be widened to include pharmacists.
Keywords: Over the counter (OTC) drugs, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice
References
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Drugs @ FDA Glossary of Terms. Available on http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/informationondrugs/ucm079436.htm.Accessed On 8/12/17
- Priyanka D. Patel, Kamlesh P. Patel, Supriya D. Malhotra. Survey of use of over the counter drug and other than over the counter drugs among medical students, nursing and technician staff of a tertiary care teaching hospital. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology. 2017;6(3):592-596.
- Buke C, Hosgor-Limoncu M, Ermertcan S, Ciceklioglu M, Tuncel M, Köse T, et al.Irrational use of antibiotics among university students. J Infect .2005;51:135-9.
- Meenambal .S, Dr. Geetha .K M. D, Dr. Raadhika .K M. D, Dr. Parameswari .R M. D. A Questionnaire Based Study for the Evaluation of over the Counter Usage of Analgesic Drugs among Diabetic Industrial Worker’s in Madurai. International Journal of Science and Research. 2017;6(6):295-298.
- World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines for the Regulatory Assessment of Medicinal Products for Use in Self-medication.WHO/EDM/QSM/00.1. 2000.Available from: http://www.apps.who.int/medicinedocs/pdf/s2218e/s2218e.pdf.Accessedon15/12/2017
- Ferris DG, Nyirjesy P, Sobel JD, Soper D, Pavleti A, Litaker MS. Over the Counter Antifungal Drug Misuse Associated With Patient Diagnosed Vulvovaginal Candidiasis. Obstet Gynecol.2002; 99(3):419-25.
- Calabresi P, Cupini LM. Medication-overuse headache: similarities with drug addiction. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2005; 26(2): 62-8.
- French L, Horton J, Matousek M. Abnormal vaginal discharge: what does and does not work in treating underlying causes. J Fam Pract. 2004; 53(11): 805-14.
- Badiger S, Kundapur R, Jain A, Kumar A, Pattanshetty S, Thakolkaran N et al. Self medications pattern among medical students in South India. Australasian Medical Journal.2012; 5(4): 217-20.
- James H, Handu SS, Khalid AJ, Khaja A, Otoom S, Sequeira RP.Evaluation of the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Self-Medication among first-Year Medical Students. Med Princ Pract.2006; 15: 270–275.
- Hem E, Stokke G, Reidar Tyssen R, Grønvold NT, Vaglum P, Ekeberg O. Self‐prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine‐year follow‐up study of a nationwide sample. BMC Med.2005; 3:16.
- Svarstad BL, Bultman DC, Mount JK. Patient counseling provided in community pharmacies: effects of state regulation, pharmacist age, and busyness. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2004;44:22-29.
- http://www.ipapharma.org/html/GPP_Guidelines_IPA2002.pdf Accessed on 13/02/2018
- ASHP guidelines on pharmacist-conducted patient education and counseling. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 1997;54:431-34.
- Bradley C, Blenkinsopp A. Over the counter drugs: the future for self medication. BMJ. 1996;312(7034):835-37
- Ghosh A, Biswas S, Mondal K, Haldar M, Biswas S. A study on knowledge and practices of over the counter medications among 2nd year medical students.World J Pharm Sci .2015;4(7):1074‑81.
- Rubin JD, Ferencz C, Loffredo C. Use of prescription and non‑prescription drugs in pregnancy. The Baltimore‑Washington Infant Study Group. J Clin Epidemiol .1993;46:581‑9.
- Abinaya Ravichandran, Asha Basavareddy. Perception of pharmacists regarding over the counter medication. A survey.Indian Journal of Pharmacology.2016; 48(6):729-732.
- Rahul Shroti, Neelesh Nayak, Mithun Singh Rajput. A study on over the counter drugs in retail pharmacies in Indore city. Der Pharmacia Lettre.2011; 3(3):133-138.
- Rekha MS, Roopashree, Rekha MB, Purushotham Naidu.A Study on Use of Over the Counter Drugs among 1st Year Medical Students in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital. Research & Reviews: Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicological Studies.2015;3(1):20-24.
Corresponding Author
Dr. Rohini P. Jagtap
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Contact No. +91- 9423245903
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i3.210
