Trisha Sadia Mahmud, Ahmed Sanjana Binte, Uddin Md Fahim, Tabassum Tahsin Tasneem, Rahman Nur-A-Safrina, Gupta Mridul, Samiha Maisha, Moulee Shahra Tanjim, Al Sakir Dewan Ibna, Podder Vivek, Agarwala Raj Kumar, Agarwala Nikita, Singhania Priya, Tulsan Suresh Kumar
Marine Biotechnology, Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Dhaka, BGD.
Public Health, North South University, Dhaka, BGD.
Cureus. 2024 Jan 10;16(1):e52061. doi: 10.7759/cureus.52061. eCollection 2024 Jan.
Introduction During the COVID-19 pandemic, self-medication (SM) has become a critical element in the healthcare system. SM can ease the burden on hospitals and medical resources by treating minor illnesses. However, inappropriate SM practices can lead to adverse drug reactions, drug resistance, and incorrect diagnoses, resulting in poor health outcomes. Methods To evaluate the prevalence, knowledge, causes, and practices of SM among the Bangladeshi population during the COVID-19 outbreak, a cross-sectional survey with structured questionnaires was conducted in Chittagong City, Bangladesh, from March to May 2022. The survey included 265 participants, with an average age of 35.09 years, and a multiple-choice questionnaire was used to gather information. Results The study found that 64.15% of the respondents had sufficient knowledge of SM, while 35.8% had insufficient knowledge. The primary reasons for SM during the pandemic were the influence of friends/family (90.74%), fear of infection or contact with COVID-19 cases (73.15%), and fear of quarantine or self-isolation (72.22%). Analgesics/pain relievers (84%) were the most commonly used drugs for SM for COVID-19 prevention and treatment. Antiulcerants/antacid (42%), vitamin C and multivitamins (42%), and antibiotics (32%) were also frequently used. Conclusion This study suggests that SM is prevalent among Chittagong City residents, particularly those with less than a tertiary education. The study highlights the importance of building awareness about SM practices and taking necessary steps to control them.
引言 在新冠疫情期间，自我药疗已成为医疗保健系统中的一个关键要素。自我药疗可以通过治疗小病来减轻医院和医疗资源的负担。然而，不恰当的自我药疗行为可能导致药物不良反应、耐药性和错误诊断，从而产生不良健康后果。方法 为了评估新冠疫情期间孟加拉国人群自我药疗的流行情况、知识水平、原因和行为，于2022年3月至5月在孟加拉国吉大港市进行了一项采用结构化问卷的横断面调查。该调查包括265名参与者，平均年龄为35.09岁，并使用多项选择题问卷来收集信息。结果 研究发现，64.15%的受访者对自我药疗有足够的了解，而35.8%的受访者了解不足。疫情期间自我药疗的主要原因是朋友/家人的影响（90.74%）、对感染或接触新冠病例的恐惧（73.15%）以及对隔离或自我隔离的恐惧（72.22%）。镇痛药/止痛药（84%）是自我药疗预防和治疗新冠最常用的药物。抗溃疡药/抗酸剂（42%）、维生素C和多种维生素（42%）以及抗生素（32%）也经常被使用。结论 本研究表明，自我药疗在吉大港市居民中普遍存在，尤其是那些受过高等教育以下的人群。该研究强调了提高对自我药疗行为的认识并采取必要措施加以控制的重要性。
