ABSTRACT
It is common for people to feel unwell, and human beings have
an inherent tendency to use herbs, potions, medications, etc. for treating
themselves. Self-medication is a common and regular practice of using
medicines, common over-the-counter (OTC) drugs without any medical supervision,
by the people themselves for self-treatment considering it a part of self-care.
Self-medication also encompasses utilization of surplus and left over medicine
at home, seeking advices of surrounding people as friends and relatives for the
medication. This study attempt to examine the
assess Knowledge, Factors and Practice of Self Medication among Undergraduate
Student of Harvarde College, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The current research
was a cross-sectional study and it used a convergent mixed method approach to
collect data. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from one-hundred and twenty-five subjects from four faculties in
Harvarde College, Abeokuta, Ogun State. Thirty (30) undergraduates (male and
female) from faculty of Art and Humanities, thirty-five (35) from School of Basic
Management Science (SBMS), thirty (30) from School of Engineering and thirty
(30) from School of Management studies (SMS). Quantitative data were
analyzed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logistics regression in
SPSS23 at 0.05 level of significance..The findings from both the quantitative
and qualitative assessment shows that enhanced health education campaigns
should focus on increasing awareness of self-medication, its causes, symptoms,
and the importance of regular screening. This information needs to be
integrated into routine antenatal counseling to ensure pregnant women are fully
informed about the risks and management of anemia. Efforts should be made to
address knowledge gaps about the importance of regular screening, as well as to
emphasize the need for anemia screening every trimester.
Keywords: Knowledge, Factors,
Practice, Self Medication, Undergraduate Student, Harvarde College, Ogun State
TABLE OF
CONTENT
CONTENTS PAGES
Title
page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement vi
Table of Content vi
List
of Tables ix
Abstract x
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 4
1.3 Objectives of the study 5
1.4 Research questions 5
1.5 Research Hypothesis 6
1.6 Significance of the study 6
1.7 Scope of the study 7
1.8 Operational Definition of terms 8
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE
REVIEW
2.0
Introduction 9
2.1
Conceptual Review 9
2.1.1 Concept
and Basics of Self-Medication 9
2.1.2 Characteristic
of Undergraduate 16
2.1.3 Brief
History of Harvarde College, Abeokuta, Ogun State 18
2.1.4 Determinants
of Practice of Self-medication 20
2.1.5 Factors
responsible for Self-medications 24
2.1.6 Products
commonly used for self-medication 25
2.1.7 Dangers
of Self-medications 26
2.2 Theoretical Review 29
2.2.1 Health
Belief model (HBM) 29
2.2.2 Theory
of Planned Behaviour (TPB) 32
2.3 Empirical
Review 33
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction 35
3.1 Research
Design 35
3.2 Target
Population 35
3.3 Sample
and Sampling Techniques 35
3.4 Instrumentation
for Data Collection 36
3.5 Reliability
of Research instruments 36
3.6 Validity
of Research instrument 37
3.7 Method
of Data Collection 37
3.8 Method
of Data Analysis 37
3.9 Ethical
Consideration 38
CHAPTER FOUR: DISUCSSIONS OF
FINDING
4.1 Demographic
Information of Undergraduate Student of Harvarde College 39
4.2 Knowledge
of Self-medication 41
4.3 Prevalence
of Self-medication 44
4.4 Risks
and Side effects Associated with self-medication 47
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1
Summary of Findings 53
5.2 Conclusion 54
5.3 Recommendations 55
5.4 Implication of findings to nursing 56
References 57
Appendix
61
LIST OF TABLE
Table 1: Demographic Information of Undergraduate
Student of Harvarde College 39
Table 2: Knowledge of Self-medication 41
Table 3: Prevalence of Self-medication 44
Table 4: Risks and Side effects Associated with
self-medication 45
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
It is common for people to feel unwell, and human
beings have an inherent tendency to use herbs, potions, medications, etc. for
treating themselves. Self-medication is a common and regular practice of using
medicines, common over-the-counter (OTC) drugs without any medical supervision,
by the people themselves for self-treatment considering it a part of self-care.
Self-medication also encompasses utilization of surplus and left over medicine
at home, seeking advices of surrounding people as friends and relatives for the
medication. It is a common practice in both developed and developing countries
and is reported to be on the rise. Self-medication is an increasing public health
problem worldwide. Self-medication is the selection and use of medicines by
individuals to treat self-recognized illnesses or symptoms, as defined by the
World Health Organization. Self medication is often due to the use of
nonprescription medicines, commonly known as over the-counter (OTC) medication.
However, there are reports of indiscriminate use of
prescription medications including antibiotics. Unfortunately, a vast number of
users of self-medication take medications without being fully informed about
the associated risks, contraindications and adverse effects. Moreover, indiscriminate
use of nonprescription medicines can interfere with desired treatment and
result in harmful side effects. Self-medication is common in low and
middle-income countries. In the developing countries, inadequacies in the
healthcare delivery systems including inadequate doctor-patient ratio, high
cost of prescription medicines, lack of education, unregulated distribution of
medicines, untrained medicine sellers in the pharmacy, and patient attitudes
towards government health facilities and physicians are some of the key drivers
of self medication. In a systematic review of 34 studies in 31,340 participants
in developing countries, the overall prevalence of antimicrobial
self-medication was 38.8%, which varied widely from as low as 4.0% in Yemen to
as high as 91.4% in Nigeria. It was also common in using antibiotics in viral
infections, especially in the Middle East and in Asia. As a result,
antimicrobial-resistance is becoming more prevalent in areas with frequent
non-prescription use. (Idris T, 2016).
However, a study by Bitrus D, et.al on the perception
and practice of self-medication among non-clinical students at the University
of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, reported that the knowledge and
perception of students were adequate in regards to self-medication. They were
noted to be aware of the drug's adverse effects, concomitant use of drugs, risk
of increasing or decreasing the dose, and the need to seek medical or
professional help. They saw self-medication as self-management of minor
problems, which can reduce signs and symptoms of illness, and that
self-medication may also be harmful if abused. Furthermore, a study to
determine the practice of self-medication among university students in South
Western Nigeria, reported a high rate of self-medication among students with
anti-malaria drugs and antibiotics as the most commonly used drugs because
these drugs are readily available and cheap. (Osemene K.P, 2022).
Generally people usually have different remedies for
whatever illness you can think of. For example, fever, cold, catarrh, diarrhea,
constipation, indigestion, body pains, headache etc. friends or even strangers
are always ready to advice on which medication to take, this can be dangerous,
even though there is usually no immediate consequence. This suggests that
self-medication has become a public health threat in our society at large.
Consider the fact that in Nigeria most prescription drugs can be bought from
pharmacies and patent medicine stores and even along the streets without
prescription. Self-medication is also the act of obtaining and consuming drugs
without advice of a doctor either for diagnosis, prescription or surveillance
treatment. It should be known that medicines are chemicals which can have both
good and bad effect on the human body. Indeed just as medicines can cure, they
can also harm.
The Oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary defined an
undergraduate, as a universally or college student who is studying for their
first degree. Some studies have reported alarming rates of self-medication in
student population. An example is a study carried out by the Department of
Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical, microbiology faculty of Pharmaceutical
sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Nigeria, titled “Evaluation of
Antibiotics self-medication pattern amongst Undergraduate students of Ahmadu
Bello University (Main Campus), Zaria”, it was found that self-medication was
practiced by a majority of the respondents. And that self-medication with
antibiotics was mostly practiced among students of health related faculties i.e
pharmaceutical sciences and medicine the major reasons given for self
medicating with antibiotics were: Assumed knowledge on antibiotics; Prior
experience on the use; Lack of time to go for consultation and Attitude of school clinic staff.
In spite of several awareness and enlightment campaign
the practice of self medication is still eminent. In combating self-medication,
there is a need to know the factors that influence the practice of
self-medication (i.e those factors that encourage the practice of
self-medication among undergraduates. This study was carried out among
undergraduate of Harvarde College, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Self medication is a public health problem worldwide;
its incidence is on the increase despite the dangers associated with the
practice. This is more in developing countries where the governments are not
too kin on policies relating to the problem. Self medication is associated with
a wide range of problems, which includes; substance abuse, addiction,
mismanagement of health related problems, and drug-related problems (DRP).
Consumers indulge in self-medication because while it helps them through their
common health problems, it is time and cost saving and at times, they have few
or no options. This becomes more imperative in our society with its few health
care professionals to handle large number of people and high level of
illiteracy with widespread availability of fake drugs.
As medical personnel, the researcher has observed that
several cases of allergic reactions and severe adverse effects following drug
use have been traced down to self-medication. It has also been observed that an
increasing number of people presenting at the hospitals for treatment practice
self-medication which in most cases worsen their state of health. Self medication also leads to
drugs-interactions, wrong treatment for the wrong problem, drug-resentence,
insanity and even death. More and more young people are becoming victims of
self-medication, may be due to their experimental nature. In Nigeria, the
establishment of the National Agency on Food and Drug Administration and
Control and its arm National Pharmaco vigilance is a breakthrough in
controlling the expansion of fake drug marketing, and reporting of adverse drug
reactions has minimized the potential risks of adverse drug reactions in
Nigeria. (Koley M, 2014). This study aims to Assess Knowledge, Factors and
Practice of Self Medication among Undergraduate Students of Harvarde College,
Abeokuta, Ogun State
1.3 Objective
of the Study
The main objective of this study is to Assess
Knowledge, Factors and Practice of Self Medication among Undergraduate Student
of Harvarde College, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Specifically, the objectives are to:
i.
Assess the level of knowledge about
self-medication among undergraduate students of Harvarde College, Abeokuta,
Ogun State.
ii.
Identify the factors that influence the practice
of self-medication among undergraduate students.
iii.
Investigate the prevalence of self-medication
practices among undergraduate
iv.
Examine the types of medications most commonly
used for self-medication among undergraduate students of Harvarde College.
v.
Assess the awareness of the potential risks and
side effects associated with self-medication among undergraduate students.
1.4 Research
Questions
The following research questions were formulated as a
guide to the researcher
i.
What is the level of knowledge about
self-medication among undergraduate students at Harvarde College?
ii. What
factors influence undergraduate students at Harvarde College to engage in
self-medication?
iii. How
prevalent is the practice of self-medication among undergraduate students at
Harvarde College?
iv. What
types of medications are most commonly used for self-medication by
undergraduate students at Harvarde College?
v. What
specific risks and side effects do students commonly associate with
self-medication?
1.5
Research
Hypotheses
H0: There is no significant
relationship between the level of knowledge about self-medication and the
practice of self-medication among undergraduate students of Harvarde College,
Abeokuta, Ogun State.
H1: The factors influencing the
practice of self-medication significantly differ among undergraduate students
of Harvarde College, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
1.6
Significance
of the Study
The study “Assess Knowledge, Factors and Practice of
Self Medication among Undergraduate Student of Harvarde College, Abeokuta, Ogun
State” will provide insights into the current level of knowledge about
self-medication among undergraduate students. This information can be used to
design targeted educational programs to improve health literacy and ensure
students are well-informed about the risks and benefits of self-medication. By
identifying the factors that influence self-medication practices, the study can
help policymakers and healthcare providers understand the underlying reasons
for self-medication among students. This understanding can lead to the
development of strategies to address these factors, potentially reducing the
prevalence of inappropriate self-medication.
This study can also guide the creation of awareness
campaigns to educate students on the dangers of self-medication and promote
safer health practices. Finally, this research will add to the existing body of
knowledge on self-medication practices, particularly in the context of
undergraduate students in Nigeria. It can serve as a reference for future
studies and help build a comprehensive understanding of self-medication
behaviors in different demographics and settings.
1.7
Scope
of the Study
The scope of the study "Assess Knowledge, Factors
and Practice of Self Medication among Undergraduate Students in Harvarde
College, Abeokuta, Ogun State". The study
will be conducted within Harvarde College, located in Abeokuta, Ogun State,
Nigeria. The focus will be on the undergraduate student population of this
institution. The target population for the study will be undergraduate students
enrolled at Harvarde College.
The study
will include students from all academic years and disciplines to ensure a
comprehensive understanding of self-medication practices across the student
body. And also, the study will evaluate the level of knowledge that
undergraduate students have about self-medication. This will include their
understanding of what self-medication is, the type of medications involved, and
the correct usage and potential risks associated with self-medication.
1.8
Operational Definition of Terms
·
Self
medication: The act of treating oneself for an illness or medical condition
without the advice or prescription of a healthcare professional. This includes
the use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications, prescription medications obtained
without a prescription, and herbal or traditional remedies.
·
Factors:
Things that contribute or lead to the
practice of self medication.
·
Influence:
A power affecting undergraduates’ choice to practice or not to practice self medication.
·
Practice:
To perform self medication habitually or usually.
·
Undergraduates:
Individuals enrolled in a bachelor's degree program at Harvarde College,
Abeokuta, Ogun State. The study will include students from all years of study
and academic disciplines.
·
Harvarde
College, Abeokuta, Ogun State: A higher education institution located in
Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, where the study will be conducted. The college's
undergraduate student population will serve as the study sample.
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