Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 3, 2026
A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: January 11, 2020
Predictors of over-the-counter medication: A cross-sectional Indian study
Abinash Panda1, Supriya Pradhan1, Gurukrushna Mohapatro2
1Department of Pharmacology, MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, Odisha, India.
Context:
The determinants of over-the-counter (OTC) medication need to be understood to design adequate drug information policies.
Aim:
To determine the prevalence and predictors of OTC medication among the adult population of Berhampur town in Odisha, India.
Settings And Design:
It was a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study carried out in the private retail pharmacy on a convenience sample of 880 adults over a period of 6 months at Berhampur, Odisha, India.
Materials And Methods:
Medication use behavior was explored using a data collection form that had three parts. The first part captured data on the sociodemographic characteristics of drug consumers. The second and third part collected data on drug history and attitude toward the available health-care facility, respectively.
Statistical Analysis:
Descriptive statistics was used to represent the prevalence of OTC medication. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to determine the predictors of OTC medication.
Results:
The overall prevalence of OTC medication use was 18.72% (95% CI: 15.34-47.16%). Younger age, male gender, lower income, and poor lifestyle were the predictors of OTC medication. Perception of poor accessibility to health care, the presence of chronic diseases and having a symptom count of more than two significantly increased the likelihood of OTC medication (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Sociodemographic profile, drug history, and attitude toward health-care availability in the locality can predict OTC medication behavior. Interventions aimed at changing the perceptions of the public regarding accessibility, affordability of the health care is likely to influence OTC medication behavior and make it safer.
More Related Videos
10:02Event Related Potentials ERPs and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD
Published on: March 12, 2020
09:33Visualizing Field Data Collection Procedures of Exposure and Biomarker Assessments for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network Trial in India
Published on: December 23, 2022
Related Concept Videos
01:02Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
01:25Drug Classes and Categories
01:19Pharmacovigilance
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
01:17Drug Dependence
01:21Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview
01:19Factors Affecting Drug Distribution: Miscellaneous Factors
Age plays a significant role due to differences in body composition among different age groups. Infants, for instance, have a higher proportion of total body water and lower albumin levels, a protein that binds drugs in the bloodstream. This unique composition in infants enhances the...