Abstract of INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMA SCIENCES AND RESEARCH (IJPSR)

ABSTRACT

Title

Viewpoint Regarding COVID-19 Vaccine and Pursuing Self-medication amidst Medical Students

Authors

Fatema Johora, Asma Akter Abbasy, Fatiha Tasmin Jeenia, Ferdaush Ahmed Sojib, Kazi Sabiha, Md Moniruzzaman Khan, Quazi Sahely Sarah, Jannatul Ferdoush

Keywords

Liver diseases, CYP450, Cissus Quadrangularis, anti-oxidatant property, hepato-protective action

Issue Date

Dec 2020

Abstract

Background: Since December 2019, the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has garnered global attention due to its rapid transmission, mortality and morbidity and absence of effective medicine or vaccine till date. Self-medication could be a vital issue during public health emergencies e.g. COVID-19 pandemic despite of having several pros and cons.
Materials and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was designed to assess the prevalence of self-medication practice along with viewpoints regarding COVID-19 vaccine among the undergraduate medical students (4th year) of 14 medical colleges of Bangladesh during COVID- 19 pandemic. A structured questionnaire survey linked in the google form was used as study instrument and was distributed among study population through email, messenger, whatsapp and other social media during the month of October 2020. Total 916 students were participated in the study.
Results: 51.6% of students reported self-medication practice in study period. Fever (63.2%), headache (51.7%) and dry cough (29.9%) were the reported illness for self-medication, while 8.5% respondents took medicines as prophylactic measure against coronavirus infection. Commonly used medicines were paracetamol (88.9%), antihistamine (48.5%), followed by vitamin C (40.2%) and zinc (31.3%). Among antimicrobials, azithromycin (22.6%) was widely used, followed by doxycyline (7.2%) and ivermectine (6.8%). Minor illness (64.6%) and prior experience with the condition (47.5%) were cited as reasons for seeking self-medication, and academic knowledge (73.2%) was the commonest source of information regarding self-medication. 39.6% students believed that vaccine could be the only solution to combat COVID-19, and frontline fighters (69.1%) were priority group for earlier access to COVID-19 vaccine.
Conclusion: Practice of self-medication was prevalent among the undergraduate medical students of Bangladesh during first six months of COVID-19 pandemic, and skeptic as well as mature viewpoints about potential COVID-19 vaccine was observed.

Page(s)

275-281

ISSN

0975-9492

Source

Vol. 11, No.12

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