{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T15:26:38Z","timestamp":1789140398025,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,2]],"date-time":"2025-06-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1748822400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmacy"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Self-medication is the use of medicinal products to treat self-diagnosed disorders or symptoms without the prescription or supervision of a healthcare professional. There is a lack of data about self-medication knowledge, attitudes, and practices among pharmacy undergraduates in Malaysia. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices among undergraduate pharmacy students in Penang regarding self-medication. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered, web-based survey (Google Forms), which was completed and responded to by 203 undergraduate pharmacy students from Penang, Malaysia, between October and December 2023. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. Associations between the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants and the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding self-medication were assessed using a chi-square test. Regression analyses were carried out to determine whether the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants were associated with practices of self-medication. Results: A total of 203 of the undergraduate pharmacy students completed the questionnaire. More than half of the participants\u2019 age ranged between 19 and 21 years old, the majority were females (77.3%), and 31.5% of the participants had family members employed in the healthcare sector. Most respondents showed good knowledge in a variety of domains: 97.5% acknowledged the potential for drug interaction with other medications, indicating a high awareness of proper self-medication practices. A positive attitude was found regarding participants\u2019 attitudes toward self-medication, and 65.5% practiced self-medication, primarily for treating minor illnesses (75.9%). Common conditions included fever (83.3%), cough\/cold\/flu (76.8%), and headache (71.4%). Reasons for not self-medicating included the absence of illness (20.2%), lack of knowledge\/prior experience (19.2%), and fear of using the wrong medication (18.7%). Only academic year level was the predictor of practicing self-medication within the last six months among the participants. Conclusions: Generally, the participants possessed good knowledge and positive attitudes toward self-medication. The study revealed no significant associations between demographic characteristics and knowledge or attitudes. Insights from this research contribute to understanding self-medication practices among pharmacy students in Penang, informing potential interventions to promote responsible self-medication practices.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pharmacy13030079","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,2]],"date-time":"2025-06-02T12:27:09Z","timestamp":1748867229000},"page":"79","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward Self-Medication Among Pharmacy Undergraduates in Penang, Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6223-5599","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bayan F.","family":"Ababneh","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor Penang 11800 , Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5151-4595","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hisham Z.","family":"Aljamal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Orthopedics, Dr. Sulaiman AL Habib Hospital, Al Khobar 34236, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8183-0855","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rabia","family":"Hussain","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor Penang 11800 , Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"World Health Organization (1998). 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