Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Pharmacy Students Toward Over-the-Counter Drugs

Background: Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are commonly utilized for self-treatment due to their easy accessibility and perceived safety; however, inappropriate use can result in adverse health outcomes. As future healthcare providers, pharmacy students play a vital role in guiding the public on the responsible use of these medications. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pharmacy students regarding OTC drug use, thereby assessing their readiness to promote safe self-medication practices in the community. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 412 pharmacy students from a university in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Data were gathered through a structured questionnaire distributed via Google forms. The Chi-square test was used to explore gender-related differences, while Fisher’s exact test examined variations across age groups. Results: Of the participants, 241 (58.5%) were female and 171 (41.5%) were male, with a mean age of 21.91 ± 1.2 years and an average academic year of 3.28 ± 1.41. The prevalence of self-medication with OTC drugs was notably high at 88.6%. Female students were significantly more likely to disagree with the statement that all OTC medications are safe when used alongside prescription drugs (P < 0.01). No significant gender differences were observed in self-medication practices. Students aged 23–25 demonstrated significantly higher awareness of paracetamol safety and toxicity (P < 0.01) and reported experiencing more adverse effects from OTC drug use (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The high prevalence of OTC drug use among pharmacy students underscores the need for enhanced education on this topic. While students generally exhibited moderate knowledge and responsible practices, certain misconceptions and risky behaviors persist. Older students and females tended to be more informed. Incorporating targeted educational modules on OTC medications into pharmacy curricula is recommended to improve awareness and ensure safer self-medication practices in the future.