Chennai: A city study has found that nine in 10 adults self-medicate instead of consulting a doctor—a rate almost double the national average, according to earlier national estimates.The cross-sectional study, published in April in IJIRSET, an open-access peer-reviewed journal, covered 174 adults across urban and rural field practice areas of Omandurar Government Hospital. Researchers from the department of community medicine found that 92.5% of participants self-medicated at least once. Painkillers topped the list of self-prescribed drugs at 73%, followed by cough syrups, vitamins and herbal remedies. Most participants sourced medicines directly from pharmacies without a prescription—a practice that remains widespread despite regulatory restrictions on several drug categories, Dr Arun Murugan wrote in the study.The finding that most alarmed researchers was behavioural: three in four participants said self-medication caused them to delay seeking professional medical care. Nearly 70% admitted to sharing prescription drugs with family or friends.“Self-medication is highly prevalent and widely accepted despite known risks. Easy access to medicines, permissive attitudes and limited e-Health literacy contribute to unsafe practices. Strengthening regulation, improving public awareness and promoting responsible medicine use are essential,” said the report. The biggest concern among doctors is antibiotic misuse. One in nine participants reported self-administering antibiotics without a prescription—a habit public health experts link directly to the rise of drug-resistant infections, a crisis in which India already bears a disproportionate global burden.“There have been several campaigns for antibiotic stewardship nationally. But one thing that has not changed is people buying medicines over the counter,” said infectious diseases expert Dr Subramanian Swaminathan, who was not part of the study. “We see this in practice every day. We have adequate evidence to show abuse of antibiotics is affecting treatment outcomes,” he said.Doctors’ bodies, such as the Indian Medical Association, say deaths due to antibiotic resistance will soon overshoot road accidents. “Organizations such as the WHO are already accusing India of creating superbugs. It’s time for govt to implement stricter norms and professional health care givers to follow them,” said IMA association president Dr B Sridhar. “Vulnerable and high-risk populations must take vaccination and follow prevention measures,” he said.Researchers have also called for regulation of over-the-counter drug sales, antibiotic stewardship programmes and awareness campaigns targeting social media and television.
