Perception Analysis Of The Use Of Over-The-Counter Medications Amid COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Acquiring the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human. Provision of standard healthcare facilities is essential for the development of any nation. Although it is difficult for such provision of optimum healthcare facilities at public level. In that case, over the counter medications took over. In this study assessed the frequency of use of such medications with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic and analyzed population perception and awareness regarding the same.  Methods:  This is a Cross-sectional survey conducted among the general public, which included 328 individuals consented to participate. It was conducted through telephonic interviews and an online questionnaire which was circulated across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Our questionnaire included 4 sections (i) Demographic information (ii) over the counter medication practices with respect to pre-existing medical illness (iii) over the counter Medication practices prior to and during the pandemic (iv) knowledge and awareness assessment. Data was analyzed by SPSS software. Results: Our survey indicates that there is an increase in over-the-counter medication usage from 48.4% prior to COVID to 83.8% after COVID. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most used over the counter drug. Among them, paracetamol was at the risk of abuse/ misuse. Conclusion: More than half of the over-the-counter drug users were not aware of the dosage and adverse reactions of the drug they take. With more individuals tending towards over-the-counter medication, the risk to adverse drug events and complications of undiagnosed diseases tends to be high.