Biomedical & Pharmacology Journal, December 2021. Vol. 14(4), p. 2285-2294
Published by Oriental Scientific Publishing Company © 2021
This is an Open Access article licensed under a Creative Commons license: Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY).
Assessment of Psychology, Behaviour and Self-Medication
Potential Among Indian People During COVID-19 Pandemic
Atreyee Sarkar* and Jaya Kumar Rajamani
Gitam University, NH 207, Nagadenahalli, Doddaballapura, Karnataka 561203, India.
*Corresponding Author E-mail: atrkar87@gmail.com
https://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bpj/2329
(Received: 23 January 2021; accepted: 18 November 2021)
This research work was done during the Indian festive season of 2020 to assess the
attitude, mentality and psychological pattern of Indians. Also, the effect of yoga and meditation
in combating the Covid-19 pandemic related stress was analyzed in the present research work.
As Paracetamol and Diclofenac are OTC medications which are widely available without doctor’s
prescription, the potential of self-medication for these drugs amidst the pandemic need to be
studied, this study further attempted to analyze the rate and extent of self-medication of these
drugs among Indians. An e-questionnaire survey bearing questions on pandemic-related mental
stress, sleep duration, yoga, meditation practice, and extent of self-medication in combating
the pandemic was floated to the residents of Bengaluru to collect their response. The collected
data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 17. A
mixed response regarding their stress, anxiety, and fear expressed on a higher scale was the
same before or during Covid could be perceived. The sleep pattern before and during CoVid
had no significant variation (p>0.05) and appeared the same. All the respondents agreed that
they spend considerable time with electronic gadgets during the Covid lockdown period. Most
of the respondents (60%) practice yoga and meditation occasionally or daily. The high rate of
self-medication with Paracetamol and Diclofenac drugs among Indian people in the current
pandemic situation shows they are OTC and readily available. The self-medication practice is
of real concern as it may cause a long-term impact on the consumers.
Keywords: COVID-19; Diclofenac; Meditation; Psychology; Paracetamol; Self-Medication; Yoga.
In December 2019, few cases of an
unidentified pneumonia came up in Huanan
Seafood Wholesale Market which is a wet market
in Wuhan, China. The disease characteristics
were similar to that reported by virus flu. This
causative agent was later identified as SARS-Cov-2
virus which caused symptoms like fever, cough,
diarrhoea, fatigue and vomiting. Some severe cases
caused acute respiratory distress, heart injury and
secondary infections.
1,2
The World Health Organization declared it
as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The virus inflicts
fear of getting sick, dying due to infection, stigma
and helplessness among common people.
3
Quarantine is a traditional method of
containing the spread of epidemic diseases.
4
Mass fear of Covid 19 is called as
“coronaphobia”. Nationwide lockdowns are being
reported to cause mass hysteria, anxiety, depression,
rise in substance dependence, irritability, confusion,
anger, insomnia, denial, despair, fear of getting the
disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and even
suicidal thoughts.
5
Medicating someone in order to alleviate
or prevent an illness without medical supervision