Study of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Self-medication in Riobamba, Ecuador based on an Indeterminate Likert Scale

Authors

  • Lizbeth Geovanna Silva-Guayasamín Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Ecuador
  • Zully Mayra Romero-Orellana Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Ecuador
  • Lisbeth Josefina Reales-Chacón Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Ecuador
  • Isaac Germán Pérez-Vargas Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Ecuador
  • Sulema de la Caridad Hernández-Batista Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Riobamba. Ecuador
  • Carlos Antonio Escobar-Suárez Universidad Regional Autónoma De Los Andes, Ambato, Ecuador
  • María José López-Pino Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Ecuador
  • Josselyn Gabriela Bonilla-Ayala Universidad Técnica de Ambato, Ambato, Ecuador

Keywords:

Self-medication, public health, Indeterminate Likert Scale, triple refined indeterminate neutrosophic set (TRINS), Neutrosophic Similarity

Abstract

Self-medication (SM) is a significant public health problem in Riobamba, Ecuador, characterized by the use of drugs 
without a prescription. This practice carries risks such as inappropriate drug use and antimicrobial resistance. This study assesses 
the prevalence, associated factors, and attitudes towards SM in Riobamba. To do so, data were collected from 383 city residents, 
who also responded to a survey. To ensure the accuracy of the results, we asked respondents to answer some questions based on 
an Indeterminate Likert Scale. In this way, people can evaluate each of the different opinions, thus obtaining a more reliable 
result of the person's opinion, compared to the classic Likert scale. In addition, the Neutrosophic Similarity theory is used to 
convert the responses to a nominal scale. 

 

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.14648358

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Published

2025-03-01

Issue

Vol. 80 (2025): Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

Section

Article

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Copyright (c) 2025 Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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How to Cite

Lizbeth Geovanna Silva-Guayasamín, Zully Mayra Romero-Orellana, Lisbeth Josefina Reales-Chacón, Isaac Germán Pérez-Vargas, Sulema de la Caridad Hernández-Batista, Carlos Antonio Escobar-Suárez, María José López-Pino, & Josselyn Gabriela Bonilla-Ayala. (2025). Study of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Self-medication in Riobamba, Ecuador based on an Indeterminate Likert Scale . Neutrosophic Sets and Systems, 80, 1-10. https://fs.unm.edu/nss8/index.php/111/article/view/5685