Assessment of knowledge and practises about medication with over the counter drugs among Undergraduates in Faculty of Science, Eastern university, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Over the counter (OTC) drugs are drugs that are permissible for purchase and use without a prescription from a healthcare professional. Recently there has been an increase in the use of OTC drugs. The prevalence of medication with OTC drugs has been estimated to be in between 10.3% to 87% worldwide and is much higher in developing countries. Despite the benefits, improper use of medicines can bring about potential health hazards, especially if the patient does not have adequate knowledge regarding the drug and its proper use. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and practices about medication with over the counter drugs among Undergraduates in Faculty of Science, Eastern University, Sri Lanka. A Descriptive study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practices about medication with over the counter drugs among Undergraduates in Faculty of Science, Eastern University. After obtaining permission from the Dean and the Assistant Registrar of the Faculty of Science data was collected through validated questionnaire as pre-test. Next we collected the data and analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) version 25. Most of the participants (88.6%) correctly identified the correct definition of OTC drugs and 66.3% of participants said that consumers are responsible for making the decision to use OTC drugs. The most frequently used drug class was pain relief medications (84.1%). And there is a significant association of usage between gender and age groups (p<0.05). Undergraduates of Faculty of Science , Eastern University , Sri Lanka had a good knowledge regarding over the counter drugs and there is a significant association of usage between gender and age groups. The most frequently used drug class was pain relief medications.