Evaluation of Behaviours Towards Rational Drug Use in University Students

Background: Rational drug use is the use of drugs that meet patients' clinical needs, in doses appropriate to their individual requirements, for the correct duration and at the lowest cost. Irrational drug use poses significant health and economic prob-lems. Due to various factors such as inability to apply healthcare institutions, financial difficulties, stress and exposure to social media and the internet, which encourage self-medication university students tend to engage in irrational drug use. This research seeks to investigate the behaviors associated with rational drug use among students enrolled in health and non-health disci-plines at Gaziantep University. Materials and Methods: A survey was conducted with 1638 students studying at Gaziantep University between January and June 2018. The survey form consisted of 53 questions that evaluated sociodemographic characteristics and behaviors related to rational drug use. The findings were compared and evaluated among all participants, student groups studying in the health and non-health fields and additionally, among student groups studying in the medical faculty and other health field faculties. Results: The rate of non-prescription drug use among university students has been determined as 64.2%. The most frequently used non-prescription drug groups are analgesics (51.7%), cold drugs (12.5%), vitamins (6.4%) and antibiotics (5.4%). The fre-quency of non-prescription drug use is significantly higher among health field students compared to non-health field students and among medical students compared to other health field students (p<0.05). The use of drug based on the recommendation of acquaintances is significantly higher among non-health field students compared to health field students (p<0.05). Among all participants, the rate of non-prescription antibiotic use for flu or cold is 44.4%, with non-health field students using non-prescription antibiotics for flu/cold more frequently than health field students (p<0.05). More than half of the students use alternative products/treatments, with the most frequently used being nutritional supplements (33.5%) and herbal products (20.0%). Additionally, 20.2% of the students have been determined to use drug/products outside of drug to enhance exam performance during exam periods, with the most frequently used being methylphenidate (5.1%) and multivitamins (5%). Conclusions: Irrational drug use behaviors are widely observed among university students, who are the architects of the future. Health field students act more rationally compared to non-health field students, especially in terms of antibiotic use. To enhance awareness of rational drug use, it is essential to carry out research and educational initiatives in collaboration with health authori-ties, universities, professional healthcare providers, and the media.