Self-medication practices with prescription-only medicines and associated factors among university students in healthcare disciplines in the Northern province of Sri Lanka

Purpose: Self-medication refers to using medicines to treat self-diagnosed diseases. Self-medication with prescription-only medicines can lead to significant health risks if used irrationally. This study aimed to evaluate the practice of self-medication with prescription-only medications and associated factors among undergraduate students enrolled in pharmacy, nursing, and medical laboratory sciences degree programs at a state university in Northern Sri Lanka.  
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered, pre-tested questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS, and the chi-square test was used to examine associations between variables and self-medication at a 95% confidence level.
Results: A total of 538 students were invited to participate, with a response rate of 92.4% (n=498). The average age of participants was 24.39 ± 1.30 years, and 62.4% were female. Over half of the students (56.4%) reported practicing self-medication with prescription-only medications, primarily cetirizine, antibiotics, and omeprazole. Significant associations were observed between self-medication practices and gender (p=0.012), course of study (p<0.001), and year of study (p=0.02).
Conclusion: Self-medication with prescription-only medicines is common among undergraduate students enrolled in pharmacy, nursing, and medical laboratory sciences degree programs at a state university in Northern Sri Lanka. Awareness campaigns and strict regulatory measures are needed to mitigate this practice.