SELF MEDICATION AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF CHENNAI, INDIA – A CROSS- SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction: Self-medication is defined as use of medicines by the individuals on their own without professional advice to treat self-diagnosed conditions. It is prevalent not only among general population but also among doctors including dentists. Aim: To assess the pattern of self-medication practice among students of a dental college of chennai city. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate dental students through convenience sampling. A questionnaire consisting of 20 questions related to various aspects of self-medication practice was handed to the students. Results: Among 234 students and total of 40.9% of respondents indulged in self?medication. Both male and female dental students equally had a habit of taking medicines on their own. The most common drugs used for self?medication were antipyretics (46.56%), followed by analgesics (40.08%), and cough syrups (18.02%). Cold (19.43%) was the major indication for self?medication, followed by (18.02%) a cough, and (16.19%) was a fever.…