Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Self-Medication among Healthcare Students in Saudi Arabia

Self-medication is a common practice where individuals use medications without consulting a healthcare professional. While it offers convenience and cost-effectiveness, it also carries risks such as incorrect self-diagnosis, misuse of medications, and adverse drug reactions. Understanding self-medication behaviors is essential, particularly among healthcare students who may influence future patient care practices.

This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of self-medication among undergraduate students at Batterjee Medical College (BMC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The research also seeks to raise awareness about the potential risks of self-medication and highlight areas for future research on this subject.

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 244 undergraduate students from nine academic programs at BMC. Students completed an online questionnaire adapted from a previously validated tool. The questionnaire assessed students' knowledge of self-medication, their attitudes towards its use, and their self-medication practices. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software, and P values of <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

The majority of students demonstrated good knowledge of self-medication, with 76.3% able to describe its benefits and risks. Over 65% of students exhibited positive attitudes towards self-medication, considering it an acceptable practice for managing minor health issues. However, more than half (67%) reported practicing self-medication, with the most common reasons being convenience and cost-effectiveness. Reliance on informal sources of information, such as the internet and family members, was prevalent.

This study highlights that self-medication is a common practice among healthcare students at BMC, driven by knowledge, convenience, and perceived need. While students are generally aware of the risks, there is a need for educational interventions to promote responsible self-medication and discourage over-reliance on informal information sources. Future research should explore interventions to reduce the potential harms of self-medication practices.