Self Medication Practice Among Benha University Students (A Comparative Study)

Background: Self-medication (SM) is defined as an effort made by an individual to obtain medication and use it without consultation with a doctor. Self-medication is worldwide health concern and highly prevalent among university students. Objective: To compare between medical and non-medical students regarding knowledge and practice of SM. Method: This cross-sectional study was designed using a well-structured and validated questionnaire included 1157 undergraduate Benha University students from the involved four colleges (Medicine, Commerce, Education and Literature). The questionnaire consisted of socio-demographic data, and data about knowledge regarding certain medications and data about SM practice. Results: This study revealed that medical students were significantly more knowledgeable about the side effects of analgesics, antibiotics, GIT drugs and anti-cough drugs (p