Self-Medication with Antibiotics amongst Civil Servants in Uyo, Southern Nigeria
Eshiet Unyime Israel, Essien Grace Emmanuel, Effiong Grace Sylvester, Ekwueme Chukuma
Journal of Advances in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences · pp. 89–97 · Published 16 Dec 2014
10.9734/JAMPS/2015/15147Abstract
Background: Self-medication with antibiotics constitute a major form of irrational use of medicines and can cause significant adverse effects such as resistant microorganisms, treatment failure, drug toxicity, increase in treatment costs, prolong hospitalization period and increase in morbidity. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics and evaluate the socio-demographic factors associated with the practice of self-medication with antibiotics among civil servants in Uyo, southern Nigeria. Methods: A cross sectional survey using self-administered, structured, validated and pre-tested questionnaires consisting of open and closed ended questions. 526 of these questionnaires were randomly distributed to civil servants working in the Akwa Ibom state civil service secretariat, Uyo. Results: The prevalence of self-medication observed in this study is 93.9%. The most commonly used antibiotics in self-medication were ampicillin/cloxacillin 133 (28.3%), metronidazole 130 (27.6%), co-trimoxazole 70 (14.9%), ciprofloxacin 69 (14.6%), and amoxicillin 46 (10%). The most frequent reason given by respondents for indulging in self-medication with antibiotics was the claim that illness was mild and hence did not require the attention of a physician 146(31%). Patent medicine store was the most common source of these antibiotics used in self-medication and patent medicine dealers were the most consulted for choice of antibiotics to use in self-medication. A significant number of respondents 183 (38.8%) were of the opinion that self-medication with antibiotics is safe and thus should be encouraged. Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics is high among civil servants in Uyo. There is an urgent need to educate the public on the rational use of antibiotics and enforce laws restricting access to antibiotics in Nigeria.
Cited by 18
James-Paul Kretchy, Stephen Kwame Adase, Martha Gyansa-Lutterodt · Scientific African · 2021
Comfort Kunak Ogar, Ali Ibrahim, Adeline Ijeoma Osakwe · Pharmaceutical Medicine · 2018
Nurudeen Olalekan Oloso, Shamsudeen Fagbo, Musa Garbati · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2018
Eugene Vernyuy Yeika, Brecht Ingelbeen, Ben‐Lawrence Kemah · Tropical Medicine & International Health · 2021
Azuka S. Adeke, Abdulhakeem A. Olorukooba, Rahab Charles-Amaza · 2024
Abdulmuminu Isah, Azeez Babatunde Aina, Kenechukwu C. Ben-Umeh · Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice · 2023
Eugene Vernyuy Yeika, Brecht Ingelbeen, Ben-Lawrence Kemah · 2021
Azuka S. Adeke, Abdulhakeem A. Olorukooba, Rahab Charles-Amaza · Scientific Reports · 2025
CI Nwagboso, BE Ekeng, AU Etiuma · Tropical Doctor · 2021
Bashir Ahmad Qudrati, Rohullah Sakhi, Hafizullah Nikzad · Medicine · 2025
Related research
- Self-Medication Patterns and Practices among Undergraduate Dental Students Compared to Undergraduate Non-Dental Students- A Cross-Sectional Study — shares topic coverage
- Self-medication Practice among Secondary School Students in Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria — shares topic coverage
- Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Antibiotics Use among Non-medical University Students in Uyo, Nigeria — shares topic coverage
- Socio-Demographic Factors of Parental Self-Medication among Children under 15 Years, at the Teaching Hospitals of Lomé, Togo — shares topic coverage
- Self-medication: Prevalence among Undergraduates in Kathmandu Valley — shares topic coverage
Article metrics
Real usage data collected on this platform.
0
Page views
0
PDF downloads
0
Outbound clicks
18
Citations
Views by country
Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".
No views recorded yet.
Traffic sources
Referring site, by host.
No traffic recorded yet.
Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.