Pharmacists' role in promoting responsible self-medication: an assessment of knowledge and attitudes

Pharmacists play a pivotal role in promoting responsible self-medication by offering guidance to consumers about proper medicine use. Ensuring they are adequately prepared for this role requires an assessment of their knowledge and attitudes. This study aimed to evaluate community pharmacists' knowledge and attitudes toward self-medication practices and their role in promoting responsible self-medication among consumers.

A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among community pharmacists in Delhi, India, during 2023-2024. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic characteristics of respondents. Knowledge and attitude scores were calculated based on Bloom's cut-off criteria. The Kruskal-Wallis H test evaluated the influence of demographics on knowledge and attitude scores. Spearman's rank correlation was used to assess the relationship between knowledge and attitude scores.

A total of 450 questionnaires were distributed, and 310 pharmacists completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 69%. Of those surveyed, 65% demonstrated good knowledge of self-medication, while 71% exhibited a favorable attitude toward promoting responsible self-medication practices. A positive correlation (ρ = 0.310**) between pharmacists' knowledge and attitudes was observed. The Kruskal-Wallis H test revealed that higher education and more experience significantly influence pharmacists' knowledge and attitudes, while customer volume also affect specific aspects of their attitudes.

This study underscores the vital role of pharmacists in promoting responsible self-medication and shows the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on their knowledge and attitudes toward self-medication. Our findings underscore the importance of targeted training to ensure pharmacists promote rational medicine use.