Prevalence, Patterns and Factors Influencing Self Medication among Medical Students in Rivers State University
Ositadinma Mberekpe Pius
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Ifeoma Christiana Nwadiuto
*
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Self-medication is a common health practice among university students and may be particularly common among medical students because of their knowledge of medicines and familiar illnesses. Although it may provide quick relief for minor ailments, inappropriate self-medication may lead to treatment failure, unwanted effects, delayed healthcare seeking and irrational use of medicines.
Aim: This study assessed the prevalence, patterns and factors influencing self-medication among medical students of Rivers State University and ascertained the consequences of the practice.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 medical students of Rivers State University. A multistage sampling technique involving stratification by level of study, proportionate allocation and systematic random sampling was used to select participants. Data were collected using an adapted and modified structured, self-administered online questionnaire. Data were checked for completeness, cleaned and analysed using IBM SPSS0020Statistics version 27.0. Results were summarised using frequencies and percentages and presented using prose, tables and charts, as appropriate.
Results: Of the 423 respondents, 397 (93.9%) reported practising self-medication within the preceding 12 months. Among the respondents, 41.8% had self-medicated 2–3 times, 61.2% had reused an old prescription, 50.6% had used leftover medicines and 52.0% had stopped and later restarted a medicine without professional advice. Analgesics/painkillers were the most commonly used medicines (79.4%), followed by antimalarials (52.7%), while 58.2% reported taking antibiotics without a current prescription. The leading factors influencing self-medication were desire for quick relief (82.5%), medical knowledge or confidence in identifying common illnesses (78.7%), long waiting time at healthcare facilities (69.5%), lack of time due to academic or clinical duties (69.0%) and easy availability of medicines without prescription (66.1%). Reported consequences included delayed seeking of medical attention (59.1%), visiting a hospital or clinic because self-medication did not improve the condition (39.0%), treatment failure (38.1%), unwanted effects (22.0%) and worsening of illness (20.6%). In addition, 64.1% reported discontinuing antibiotics before completing the prescribed course.
Conclusion: Self-medication was highly prevalent among medical students of Rivers State University and showed patterns that included reuse of old prescriptions, use of leftover medicines and antibiotic use without a current prescription. The practice was influenced mainly by the desire for quick relief, confidence in medical knowledge, time constraints, long waiting periods and easy access to medicines. The reported consequences support the need to promote rational medicine use, responsible antibiotic use and appropriate healthcare seeking among medical students.
Keywords: Self-medication, medical students, prevalence, patterns, factors influencing, consequences