Drug used pattern by self-medication among the RT-PCR positive health workers in Dhaka city

Authors

  • Elora Sharmin Department of Pharmacology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh
  • Sharmin Begum Department of Dermatology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh
  • Swarmita Afreen Department of Pharmacology, Gonoshasthya Samaj Vittik Medical College, Bangladesh
  • Diana Islam Department of Cardiology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh
  • Sheikh Foyez Ahmed Department of Cardiology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20213186

Keywords:

Self-medication, Health workers, Self-treatment, Drugs pattern

Abstract

Background: To date there is no effective treatment against COVID-19. Self-medication played one of the major modes of treatment among general population as well as the health workers during this pandemic. Studying the pattern of self-medication among the health care workers (HCWs) may indicate their knowledge and skills towards rational use of medicines. The aim of the study was to assess the pattern self-medication among the COVID-19 affected HCWs.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey assessed the pattern of drug used by self-medication among the health workers who were RT-PCR positive in context to Bangladesh.

Results: A total of 267 HCWs data were collected. Most of the HCWs were in middle age group between 31-40 years with the mean age of 32.2±5.2. Doctors (83.9%) enrolled five times more than the nurses (16.1%). Most of the HCWs (60.3%) commenced medications just after appearance of symptoms and 27.0% went for the RT-PCR testing. Only 3.7% went to health care facilities for treatment. More than sixty percent of the respondents took medication by themselves just after start the symptoms, 19 (33.7%) took advised from the specialists and attended at health facilities 2.6%. Most of the patients (42.7%) used azithromycin as antimicrobial agent. Paracetamol was the most used drug among the participants (78.65%) followed by antihistamines (67.79%). Average number of drugs used by patients 3.1% and percentage of antibiotics per patients 42.6%.

Conclusions: The prescribing practice of antibiotics shows deviation from the standard recommendation. Awareness regarding essentials drug list should be needed.

 

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Published

2021-08-24

How to Cite

Sharmin, E., Begum, S., Afreen, S., Islam, D., & Ahmed, S. F. (2021). Drug used pattern by self-medication among the RT-PCR positive health workers in Dhaka city. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, 10(9), 1049–1055. https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20213186

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Section

Original Research Articles