DETERMINANTS OF SELF MEDICATION RATIONALITY IN PHARMACY VISITORS

Abstract

Background: As a developing country, Indonesia has a high prevalence of self-medication, with a potential risk ofirrationally using drugs. Meanwhile, factors such as educational level, economic status, age, gender, knowledge level affects the rationality of drug use. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the factors related to the rationality of self-medication in order to improve drug use rationality in Indonesia.

Method: An observational analysis study was used with a cross-sectional design involving 193 pharmacy visitors. Furthermore, this study was conducted in April-May 2018, and data were collected through guided interviews and filling out questionnaires for socio-demographic data, level of self-medicated knowledge, and drug use rationality. Also, sampling was done by consecutive non-random sampling, and data analysis used SPSS V.21, Chi-square and Fisher statistical tests with a significance level of 0.05.

Results : Out of the 193 subjects, 59.6% were aged 17-25 years, 59.1% were female, 62.7% had moderate education level, 50.3% had moderate levels of self-medicated knowledge, and 70.5% were rational drug users. Based on the chi-square and fisher test, it was found that gender, educational and knowledge levels were significantly related to treatment rationality with a value of p = 0.014, p = 0.000, and p = 0.000.

Conclusion:There was a significant correlation between gender, educational level and level of self-medicated knowledge of the drug use rationality.

Keywords:  self-medication, rationality, drugs