Abstract:

Introduction: Rational drug use is a process involving healthcare providers, legislators and the whole society. Here, we aimed to investigate the attitudes and behaviors related to 'Rational Drug Use' in Havutlu district of Adana province. Materials and Methods: In our study, we conducted a questionnaire consisting of 28 questions about the sociodemographic characteristics and the attitudes and behaviors related to "Rational Drug Use" we implemented. The sample size is 358. We also acquire the necessary statutory authorizations and approval of the ethics committee. The type of study is cross-sectional. In analysis, frequency analysis and chi-square test were used with SPSS version 19.0. Results: Average of 4.1±2.6 box medicine was left unused. 26% of the participants stated that they offered medication to their relatives, and the use of herbal medicines been found as 15.9%. 87.7% of the participants stated that the medication was overturned after the expiry date and 3.4% would continue to use it. The average annual antibiotic use of the participants was found to be 2.3±1.4. 59.8% of those who took antibiotic treatment stated that they terminated the treatment voluntarily without ending the treatment period. In order to be found at home, the prescription for medication seems to be significantly higher in women with a level of income below 1,000 TL (p=0.02) and with chronic disease (p <0.001). The presence of chronic illness appears to be associated with both herbal medication use (p <0.001) and home medication (p=0.008). Conclusion: When attitudes and behaviors related to rational drug use are examined, it is concluded that some variables have an influence and that inappropriate use is common throughout the society.

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