Practices of Self-Medication at Home in Children: A Single-Center Cross-Sectional Study from A Tertiary Care Hospital in Peshawar

Abstract

Introduction: Self-medication is the administration of drugs and medicinal products by consumers to treat "self-reported" and "Self-diagnosed" medical conditions. Self-medication is prevalent in developing countries, rural areas and in households with low socioeconomic status. Aim & Objectives: To find out the description, prevalence and practices of self-medication at home for children under the age of twelve years before hospitalisation in a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the pediatric wards of the Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, among 392 children under 12 years of age and their parents/caregivers. Data was collected from the parents and caregivers, and required information was recorded from patient files. Data were analysed to identify associations between sociodemographic factors, including parental education, employment status, and household income and self-medication practices using Chi-square tests, one-way ANOVA, and bivariate analysis. Results: The prevalence of high self-medication practices was 67.60%, with 83% of children being under six years old. Significant associations were found between self-medication and parental education (P < 0.001), father's employment (P = 0.025), and household income (P = 0.005). Bivariate analysis indicated that parental illiteracy significantly increased the risk of self-medication (OR 2.45 for fathers; OR 1.90 for mothers). Additionally, a monthly household income of less than 35,000 PKR was associated with a two-fold higher risk of self-medication (OR 2.10). Conclusion: Self-medication is highly prevalent among parents in rural Peshawar, largely driven by socioeconomic hardships and limited access to formal healthcare. Low parental education and financial constraints are primary determinants. Targeted public health strategies focused on improving health literacy and addressing financial barriers are essential to reduce reliance on unsafe self-medication practices.