Exploring the patients' knowledge and behavior on rational drug use

The main purpose of modern medicine is to protect health and live a quality life, as well as to treat health problems with medication. At this stage, the correct use of the drug is very important. The current study aims to evaluate the knowledge and behavior of patients in the internal medicine clinic regarding rational drug use and to identify deficiencies.The study was planned by interviewing the patients who applied to the internal medicine clinic at the hospital where the research was conducted, individually and face to face, and giving information about the research. If the patient did not volunteer to participate in the study, was under the age of 18, answered the questions incompletely, or was not competent to answer the questions, the participant was excluded from the study. The "Introductory Characteristics Form" and the "Rational Drug Use Scale" form, prepared using the literature and the demographic characteristics of the patients, were filled out.Individuals who scored 35 or above on the rational drug use scale were considered to have knowledge. The rational drug use knowledge levels of the patients in our study group were found to be low, below the threshold. The total score average of the patients on the rational drug use scale was found to be 33.592±5.663 (Min=12; Max=42). 33.8% of the patients (n=77) scored 35 points or more on the rational drug use scale; It was observed that 66.2% (n=151) had a score of 34 or less. 21.1% of the patients did not read the leaflets at all; It was determined that 84.6% of them did not have information about its use and consumption, and 96.5% of them were stored incorrectly on the refrigerator door during cold chain procedures. It was determined that the rational drug use scale scores of patients with an education level above university (32.5%), patients over 61 years of age (30.7%), and patients who read the prospectus (36.8%) were significantly different. In the study, it was concluded that the knowledge level of rational drug use in the patients in our study group was at the limit, where it was low.