Assessment of Knowledge and Practice of Self-Medication in a Nigerian University: Implication for Policy Action in Curbing the Increasing Practices of Self-Medication among Nigerian Undergraduates

Abstract
Background: Self-medication is taking drugs without a medical doctor's prescription. The practice occurs worldwide but differs from place-to-place and person-to-person with their resultant consequences like drug overdose, development of resistance, inadequate dosing, tolerance, and addiction. Objectives: This study assessed the knowledge and practice of self-medication among undergraduates of a public university in South-South, Nigeria.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 333 respondents using a multi-stage sampling technique. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The questions covered knowledge, practice, reasons, and sources of information for self medication. Chi-square test was used to test for the association; the level of significance was set as P < 0.05.

Results: The mean age (SD) of respondents was 21.59 +3.34years. There was a slight male preponderance (52.8%). Over one-third of respondents (36.7%) had good knowledge, while 63.3% had fair to poor knowledge of self-medication. Amongst those who practice self-medication, 25.3% had a high rate of use; 29.3% had a moderate rate while 17% have a low rate. The most common reasons for self-medication were the consideration of illness as being minor (71%) and low cost of drugs/ease of purchase (36.5%). Relatives, friends, and family (52.5%) were the highest source of information, while the highest source of the drug was patent medicine dealers (74.4%). There was a statistical significant relationship between the knowledge of respondents and the practice of self medication with a P-value of <0.001.

Conclusion: A large proportion of the undergraduate students of the University practice self medication. Their knowledge of self-medication was significantly associated with the level of practice.

Keywords: Knowledge, Practice, Self-medication, Nigerian University, Policy Action.