DOI: 10.36347/sjds.2019.v06i12.005

Pages: 519-523

Background: Self-medication is defined as the use of medication for self-treatment without advice of physician either for diagnosis, prescription of treatment. This study was done to determine the knowledge, attitude & practice of self medication among undergraduate engineering students of Engineering College in Kanpur. Material and Methods: A self-developed, pre-validated questionnaire consisting of close-ended questions based on study and history of self-medication in last 6 months was taken, filled by all four year undergraduate engineering students. Total 350 participant’s data was collected, organized and calculated as frequency and percentages. Results: Among 350 study participants, 86.00% were involved in self medication practice. The average number of drugs consumed per student in a 6 months period was 2.37. The most common drugs used were analgesics 253 (40.22%), followed by anatacids 149 (23.69%) and cough/cold remedies were the third more common drug 72(11.45%). In the present study 156 (44.57%) students thought that self medication was harmful & 194 (55.43%) thought that they should go to a doctor for illness. Conclusion: Engineering student’s response was positive towards self medication. Therefore awareness regarding inappropriate use of self medication and drug side effects should be provided among engineering students through educational programs and motivates them to consult physicians for their illness.