Neeraj Gilhotra

The objective of this study was to assessment the public knowledge, attitude and practice of medicine use in Sonipat city India. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a set of household interview questionnaire. 7% of respondents visited multiple facilities on the same day for the same aliment and 23% failed to go for follow up to the same facility.25% did not accept non-drug therapy and 92% preferred prescription of three or more medicines per visit. 9% did not inform the prescriber or dispenser about currently using medicine and 52% did not asked the side effect of medicines. A total of 60% were unaware that most medicines have side effects and 74% stopped taking their medicines when symptoms disappeared; 77% did not realize that the injections are riskiest dosage form, 13% had definite color and taste preferences;34% practiced self medication and 27% never consulted the dispenser; 21% choose medicines based on previous experience and 29% exchanged medicineswith others; 2% stored all their medicines in refrigerator and 24% did not check the expiry date; 64% threw unused medicines away; 28% kept them for future use and 8% returned them to a pharmacy or health facility. There is a widespread lack of knowledge about the appropriate use of medicines in Sonipat city. Certain attitude and beliefs can contribute to health risks and unnecessary expenditure. Most of the result can be improved by a well- targeted public education campaign.

The aim of the study was household’s survey to evaluate the families’ knowledge and communication with health provider in Kalanaur town of Haryana, India. A cross-sectional, pre and post-study was conducted using a set of 500 household interview questionnaires in Kalanaur town, Haryana, India. The majority of respondents were female 61.6% and 38.4% were male. Primary to high education level 49.8%, 42% had high to graduation level and 8.2% had post graduate. Families monthly income 1000-5000 (45.2%), 5000-1000 (23%), >10000 (31.8%). Prevalence of acute illness in families were headache 39.4%, cold 27.6%, cough 22.8%, fever 10.4%, diarrhea 0.2%, skin problems 0.4%, Prevalence of chronic condition was 67.4 %. Family monthly expenditure on medicines 100-500 (pre-intervention 46.2%, post intervention 55%), 500-1000 (pre-intervention 27%, post-intervention33.2%),1000-5000 (pre-intervention 24.6%, post-intervention 10%), > 5000 (pre-intervention2.2%, post-intervention 1.8%), families visited more health facility on the same day for the treatment (pre-intervention 12.6%, post-intervention 6.4%), families do not return to the same health facility if they do not feel better within the time they expected (pre-intervention 27.8%, post-intervention 17.2%), families inform the prescriber/dispenser about the medicines they were using currently (pre-intervention 90.6%, post-intervention 95.6%). Families asked side effect of prescribed medicines (pre-intervention 64%, post-intervention 74.6%), families asked how and when to take medicines (pre-intervention and post-intervention 100%), asked the prescriber/dispenser where to store medicines at home (pre-intervention 13.2%, post-intervention 19%). Focus for an effective public education to improve medicines utilization.