Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, East West University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Department of Pharmacy, University of Chittagong, Chattogram, Bangladesh.
PLoS One. 2022 Jun 13;17(6):e0269622. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269622. eCollection 2022.
In developing countries like Bangladesh, self-medication has become a predicament associated with health risks and clinical complications. To date, no studies have been conducted on the practice of self-medication among the indigenous population living in Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT).
This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of self-medication and analyzing the factors associated with it among the indigenous population in CHT.
This cross-sectional study was conducted from late October to early December 2020; among different indigenous group populations residing in the three districts of CHT aged 18 or more. A pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaire was developed to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, health status, frequency of self-medication, reasons for self-medication in last one year, as well as other variables. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess associated factors with self-medication.
A total of 1350 people from different indigenous populations were interviewed, among whom 49.9% practiced self-medication. The rate of self-prescribed antibiotics usage (80.9%) was significantly higher compared to other drugs. Self-prescribed medications were mostly used for diarrhea and food poisoning (60.6%), cough, cold and fever (51.4%), and headache (51.4%). A common source of self-prescribed medicines was community or retail pharmacy and the most reported reason for self-prescribed medication was the long-distance of healthcare facilities from home.
The prevalence of self-medication is substantially high among indigenous people and the effect is alarming. Particular concern is the misuse of antibiotics and analgesic drugs. Increasing awareness among the population of the negative effect of self-medication and implementation of proper policies and actions are urgently needed to prevent self-medication among indigenous population in Bangladesh.
在孟加拉国等发展中国家，自我用药已成为一种与健康风险和临床并发症相关的困境。迄今为止，尚未对居住在吉大港山区（CHT）的土著居民的自我用药实践进行研究。
本研究旨在确定 CHT 土著居民自我用药的流行率，并分析与之相关的因素。
这是一项横断面研究，于 2020 年 10 月下旬至 12 月初进行；对象为 CHT 三个区不同土著群体中年龄在 18 岁及以上的人群。制定了一份经过预测试和半结构化的问卷，以收集社会人口统计学特征、健康状况、自我用药频率、过去一年自我用药的原因以及其他变量的数据。采用多变量逻辑回归评估与自我用药相关的因素。
共对来自不同土著群体的 1350 人进行了访谈，其中 49.9%的人自我用药。自我开抗生素（80.9%）的使用率明显高于其他药物。自我开的药物主要用于治疗腹泻和食物中毒（60.6%）、咳嗽、感冒和发烧（51.4%）以及头痛（51.4%）。自我开处方药物的常见来源是社区或零售药店，自我开处方的最常见原因是医疗保健设施离家远。
土著人民中自我用药的流行率相当高，而且影响令人震惊。特别令人关注的是抗生素和镇痛药的滥用。需要提高民众对自我用药的负面影响的认识，并实施适当的政策和行动，以防止孟加拉国土著居民自我用药。
