| dc.description.abstract | Antibiotics in Uganda are controlled drugs or Prescription Only Medicine (POM) and should be obtained only with a prescription from duly qualified and registered medical practitioners such as doctor, nurse, or midwife (MOH, 2014). Irrational use of Medicines is a global phenomenon (WHO, 2015). The study was based on specific objectives that included; social demographic, personal and health related factors associated with irrational use of antibiotics among community members in Shuuku Sub County Sheema District. The study used a descriptive and cross sectional research design with a sample size of 108 respondents who were household caretakers selected by simple random sampling.
The study found out that the significant social demographic factors associated with irrational antibiotic use were gender at (p=0.000) and marital status at (P=0.0164). Personal factors were the prices of drugs at (P=0.0000) and the importance of seeking medical care at (P=0.0132). Then the health facility related factors were asking patients to pay for medication at (P=0.0000) and adequacy of health workers at (P=0.0022).
In conclusion the study found out that, gender and marital status were highly associated with irrational antibiotic use because females were inferior in the community both socially and financially so they could allow using any medicine brought by anyone or their superiors. Also the negative patients‘ attitude derailed them to think that there were few health workers and that some patients are told to buy some medicines that may be out of stock at the health facilities made them to develop a thinking that they were cheated since all services are meant to be free of charge and thus would rather practice irrational antibiotic use.
The researcher therefore recommends that, more females should be encouraged to go to school, get jobs and improve their social status. It is important to sensitize both married couples regarding the dangers of irrational antibiotics use so that both understand and comply accordingly, should be sensitized about the effects of irrational use of antibiotics on minor illnesses, should enforce the sale of antibiotics in Sheema only on the basis of prescription. Government should sensitize people in Sheema that government facilities have got enough health workers for positive attitude in the community about government health centres. Government should implement health insurance policy. | en_US |
