Patient’s knowledge regarding medication dispensed to them is an important factor for the proper use of medicines and their well-being, improving the patient’s knowledge, suggesting them with rational ideas on proper usage of medicines yields better results in patient health status. A direct observational study was conducted in Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences a south Indian government hospital using the specially designed questionnaire. Out of 167 cases highest prescribed class of drugs were antiulceratives (65.2%), followed by NSAID’s (63.4%), antifungals were the least (0.59%) prescribed, out of 167 patients 58% patients were identifying medicines through colour, shape, size of the tablets and syrups, only 42% were able to identify through names, 67% are willing to stop medicines if they feel better without following the physician advice, 71.4% don’t even know what drugs have been prescribed for what condition, 64.8% believing that the drugs as a magical remedies for any sort of disease, 43% patients suggesting the same prescription to their intimates, only 78.3% of patients said that they discuss the drug effects with physician and 79.5% review the physician frequently, apart from this 86.7% feel that the drug information is essential for their better health. Wide range of illiteracy and low economic status are playing vital role in the patient’s knowledge and usage of drugs by the patients if there is a growth in the literacy rate the circumstances may modify healthier.
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