| dc.description.abstract | Background: Self-medication is use of drugs without prescription, guidance or follow up by the physician or any health practitioner, or it is the use of drugs to treat self-diagnosed disorders or symptoms or the intermittent or continued use of a prescribed drug for chronic or recurrent symptoms. The use of medications without prior medical consultations regarding indication, dosage, and duration of treatment is reported to have detrimental effects in one life and medicines as science.
Objective: The aim of the study was to examine factors that influence self-medication among students of Ankole Western University (AWU) in Sheema district
Method: A descriptive cross sectional study was employed for factors that influence self-medication among students of Ankole Western University (AWU) in Sheema district. A total of 200 students of Ankole Western University were included in this study using probability, stratified sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20.
Result: From the assessment done 62% of the respondents had ever used or taken medication without prescription by a licensed practitioners, commonest drug used to self-medicate, lozenges 12.9%, herbs 4.8% and other medicines 4.0%. Knowledge of the drug (0.009), low economic status (0.032), family/peer influence (0.029), misleading advertisement (0.007) time/busy schedules (0.047), weak legislations regarding sale of drugs (0.002), availability of drugs over the counter (0.024), long queues at health facilities (0.018) and Shortage of drugs in government health facilities (0.014) were the health facility factors that were significantly associated with self-medication among students
Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication was high. Students and the public should be sensitized on the danger of self-medication and putting in place strict regulatory restriction on pharmaceutical products sale to the public. | en_US |
