Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the attitude of pharmacists and non-pharmacists in Karachi towards the use of non-prescription medicines. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from August 2012 to October 2012 among pharmacist and non-pharmacists. Data was analyzed and results were compared using Chi-square test with the help of statistical software package (SPSS version 19). Overall prevalence of self-medication was found to be 81.28%. Factors like busy life schedule (27.58%), previous experience of medicine (20.68%) and better drug information (20.86%), contributed differently in promoting self medication to pharmacists, whereas busy life schedule (45%), was one of the major factor of self medication among non pharmacist. The major clinical conditions in which self medication was observed in the pharmacists were flu (36.9%), pain (27.59%), fever (25.86%), diarrhea (24.14%) and headache (22.07%), whereas in the non pharmacists, the main conditions were headache (55.71%), diarrhea (53.33%), fever (35.71%) and flu (35.24%). Self-medication was commonly observed both in pharmacist (62.08%) and non pharmacist (71.43%) in Karachi, but there was a significant increase in non pharmacist (c²=4.756, p<0.05). In order to control this prevailing problem, legislation are to be made by the government especially to implement and facilitate the prescription system, conducting awareness programs and restricting drug advertisements for public.

Key words: Pharmacist, non-prescription drugs, self medication.