©Freund Publishing House Ltd. Int J Adolesc Med Health 2009;21 (3):361 -370 Medication taking behavior of students attending a private university in Bangladesh Nishat Chowdhury, MPharm, Fatema Matin, BPharm and Sk Feroz Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, MPharm Department of Pharmacy, Primeasia University, Banani, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the patterns of self-reported medication use, including both prescription and OTC drugs, and to assess the possible predictors of self-medication and medication non-compliance (non-adherence), for 929 non-medical undergraduate students of the American International University, a private university situated in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Although a high proportion (69%, n = 644) of students of this university had fallen sick in the last six months before the study, the rate of visiting qualified health practitioners was much lower (53%). A good proportion of the sick students were reported to have practiced self-medication (16%, n = 100) and medication non-adherence (15%, n = 98). The average treatment cost involved in self medication was much lower than that offered by a qualified physician (Tk 463 vs Tk 2546 per case). Those students living with parents were more likely to have visited qualified health practitioners (56%, p < .05), and students whose families kept a well-stocked medicine cabinet at home were more likely to have completed the full course (39%, p < .05) of prescribed medicine. No significant difference was found in the rates of self medication and medication compliance incidence for variables like age groups, gender, residence status, financial level, engagement in part-time jobs etc. The study also showed that antimicrobials are widely available (170 incidents) in the home medicine cabinets of the Dhaka City population. The storage of leftover antibiotics in the home constitutes an alternative potential source of self-medication that can have untoward consequences. Further elaborate studies are required to reveal the true pattern of antibiotic usage in Bangladesh. Correspondence: Nishat Chowdhury, MPharm, Department of Pharmacy, Primeasia University, Banani, Dhaka-1212. Bangladesh. E-mail: nischow@gmail.com Submitted: January 02,2009. Revised: February 28,2009. Accepted: March 04, 2009 INTRODUCTION more highly educated persons in the country, In Bangladesh Self-medication is widespread 77% sought advice from retail medicine (1), and the clinically inappropriate and sellers for minor ailments, including the inefficient use of medicines is a serious common cold, allergy, mild fever or problem (2). One report estimated a diarrhea. Paracetamol (80%) was the single prevalence of four million misusers of over- most used OTC medicine (5). A recent the-counter (OTC) drugs in the south Asian survey in several districts of Bangladesh region, with Bangladesh (3) accounting for showed that 105 persons died from nearly half a million. Another report perforation of a peptic ulcer, and several estimated that more than half the medicines thousand suffered from peptic ulceration dispensed or sold in Bangladesh are after the injudicious consumption of non- inappropriately prescribed (4). Among the steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (6,7). A Brought to you by | Carleton University OCUL Authenticated Download Date | 6/21/15 8:51 PM