Impact of Knowledge on Analgesic Self-Medication Practices Among Pharmacy Students

Self-medication using analgesics is a common practice among pharmacy students, where knowledge is assumed to play a critical role in guiding behavior. This study aims to investigate the relationship between students’ knowledge levels and their self-medication practices involving analgesic drugs. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 294 pharmacy students at STIKes Widya Dharma Husada Tangerang, using a structured and validated questionnaire to assess demographic data, knowledge levels, and self-medication behaviors. Results showed that 45.2% of students had good knowledge, while 51.7% demonstrated responsible self-medication behavior, with paracetamol being the most frequently used analgesic (35%). Chi-square analysis revealed a statistically significant association between knowledge level and self-medication behavior (p 0.05), indicating that higher knowledge correlates with safer medication practices. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening educational programs on rational drug use to promote safe and informed self-medication behaviors among future healthcare professionals.