An Exploration of Patterns of Over-the-counter Drug Usage and Individual Knowledge Regarding Its Safety and Efficacy in Adults: A Cross-sectional Study

Background and Aims: In today’s time and age, where information is freely available at a click, choosing the right information is the toughest challenge. With increasing use of over-the-counter medicines, lack of knowledge in the community about them and occurrence of adverse events, it is imperative to highlight this healthcare issue. The consumption of these drugs can be unsafe, cause drug-drug or drug-food interactions and lead to significant morbidity. Thus, the aim of the study is to assess the practice of self-medication with OTC drugs, the prevalence of risky practice and its associated factors. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on the general population in order to assess the prevalence of OTC drug consumption and the knowledge in the community regarding it. The questionnaire was self-designed and self-administered using the Google Forms service. The data were analysed in Microsoft Excel, and further P values and correlation coefficients were calculated. Results: The results showed that about 70% of participants have used or still use OTC drugs for various purposes. This fraction decreases in the male population as well as the older population. The most commonly used OTC drugs were cold medications, followed by analgesics. Nearly 25% of participants believed that the drugs that they consumed without prescriptions had no adverse effects. Conclusion: Results show a significant disparity between the incidence of OTC drug usage and the knowledge among the general public regarding it. Thus, appropriate steps should be taken to regulate this practice and optimise the safe use of the freely available medicines in order to prevent the occurrence of adverse reactions and interactions.