| Summary: | Mst Sabrina Moonajilin,1 Mohammed A Mamun,1,2,* Md Estiar Rahman,1 Md Firoz Mahmud,1 AHM Shamim Al Mamun,1 Md Sajib Rana,1 David Gozal3,* 1Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh; 2Undergraduate Research Organization, Dhaka, Bangladesh; 3Child Health Research Institute, Department of Child Health, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65201, USA*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: David GozalChild Health Research Institute, Department of Child Health, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65201, USAEmail gozald@health.missouri.eduBackground: Self-medication practice (SMP) is widely adopted among residents of such countries as Bangladesh. However, the major determinants of SMP have only scarcely been evaluated. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to fill this knowledge gap by assessing the prevalence and determining factors of SMP.Methods: A convenience sample of individuals residing in Savar (Dhaka, Bangladesh) > 16 years of age and suffering from an illness > 2 months underwent face-to-face interviews during January–February, 2019.Results: Among 520 interviewees fulfilling entry criteria, the prevalence of SMP was reported as 60.2%. Drug shops, previous knowledge or prescription, and consulting with peers (friends or relatives) were the most sought sources of SMP, whereas simple illness, higher consulting fees, unsatisfactory health-care services, and delayed access were reported as the motives. From the regression analysis, the sociodemographic risk factors of SMP were reported as being older (compared to < 18 years), married, illiterate (compared to having higher education), having engaged in any occupation (ie, service, business, homemaker, and others compared to student), and suffering from chronic illness.Conclusion: SMP is highly prevalent and exhibits significant socioeconomic determinants. Development of proper health care–access systems and public education should be implemented to reduce the rate of SMP.Keywords: self-medication practice, prevalence, risk factors, sociodemographic, rural Bangladeshi people
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