Self-Medication Practice and Associated Factors Among Health Professionals at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study

Prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics and its related factors among the general public and health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in China

BACKGROUND

Self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) is a common public health concern. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of SMA in the general public and health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify the associated factors.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 28, 2022, to November 6, 2022. Logistics regression analysis was used to examine the associated factors.

RESULTS

The rate of SMA was 10.25% in the general public and 12.69% in health professionals. For the public, those who perceived themselves as average or good health, had moderate antibiotic knowledge, and had easy access to nearby health facilities were less likely to SMA; while those who live in rural areas, found it easy to purchase antibiotics without prescriptions, and those who frequently encountered antibiotics recommended by pharmacy staff were more likely to SMA. For health professionals, those who were female, perceived themselves as good health, had moderate or high antibiotic knowledge, and had easy access to health facilities were less likely to SMA; while those who found it easy to purchase antibiotics without prescriptions were more likely to SMA.

CONCLUSIONS

SMA is prevalent in both the general public and health professionals. Promoting the rational use of antibiotics requires joint participation and effort.

Information sources, attitudes, and practices of Self-Medication by Jordanian patients: A cross-sectional study

Background and Objective

Self-medication (SM) has significantly increased worldwide in the past decades, which may have detrimental health consequences including antimicrobial resistance, adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interaction, and dependency. Although several studies have evaluated the extent of SM, such studies are still limited in Jordan. The aim of this study was to explore sources of SM information, attitudes toward SM and the practice of SM and its associated factors.

Methods

The data of this cross-sectional study was collected between February and July 2022. A validated questionnaire was distributed to patients attending pharmacies from different locations in Jordan. The survey evaluated sources of information and attitudes toward SM, extent of SM practice, and attitudes towards SM, symptoms that the participants treat with SM and those that usually requires medical doctor consolation, followed by questions about the classes of medications mostly used for SM and the reasons for SM.

Results and Discussion

The study enrolled 695 Jordanian adults. The most reported indications for SM included headache (86.9 %), flu (76.4 %), and fever (69.6 %). The most common causes for SM included previous knowledge about the diseases and its treatments (84.2 %), and full knowledge of the medicine to be purchased (55.2 %). Results of the ordinal regression showed that physician counseling frequency was positively and significantly associated with "not being on chronic medication" (p-value = 0.001), and having a positive SM attitude level (p-value = 0.019), while negatively correlated with being in medical field (p-value < 0.001), having no children (p-value = 0.009), and relaying on non-scientific sources to obtain information for SM (p-value = 0.014). The frequency of SM practice was positively associated with being in medical field (p-value < 0.001, having no insurance (p-value < 0.001), and relaying on nonscientific sources (p-value = 0.017). Lastly, having a positive SM attitude level (p-value < 0.001) and not being on chronic medications (p-value = 0.007) were associated with decreased SM practice.

Conclusion

The study participants demonstrated increased SM practice due to the wrong perceptions toward SM and the reliance on non-scientific source of information about SM practice.

Awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance and factors associated with knowledge among adults in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia: Community-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial resistance is an important global health challenge. The current study aimed to assess the level of awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance and factors associated with knowledge among adults in Dessie City, Ethiopia.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 407 adults in Dessie City from June to July 2021. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select respondents, and Google Form was used to collect data online. The data was analyzed by SPSS Version 26. The associated factors of knowledge of antimicrobial resistance were identified by using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression. Independent variables with a P-value <0.2 were selected as candidate variables for multivariable logistic regression. Those variables with a P-value <0.05 were declared statistically significant factors.

RESULT

Out of the required sample sizes, four hundred and seven participants were enrolled, giving a response rate of 99.3%. One hundred and fifty-two (37.3%) respondents were females. Nearly one-third of the respondents (28.3%) have taken antibiotics in the last 6 months. In this study, 73.7% of study participants were aware of the existence of germs; 58.2% were aware of the existence of antibiotic resistance to bacteria; 47.7% were aware of the existence of drug resistance; 39.8% were aware of the existence of antimicrobial resistance; and 36.6% were aware of the existence of antibiotic resistance. Sixty-four (15.7%) respondents were not aware of any of the above terms. Sixty (14.7%) of the respondents were not aware of any risk factor for antimicrobial resistance. About 63 (15.5%) of the respondents did not know the consequences of antimicrobial resistance. Two hundred and thirty-eight (58.5%) respondents had good knowledge of antimicrobial resistance. In this study, being male (AOR = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.23,3.20), college and above educational level (AOR = 3.50; 95% CI: 1.08,11.39), grade 11-12 educational level (AOR = 3.73; 95% CI: 1.20,11.61), getting advice from health professionals about how to take antibiotics (AOR = 1.84; 95% CI:1.07,3.17), using health professionals as a source of information on antibiotics (AOR = 2.51; 95% CI: 1.48,4.25), and taking antibiotics without prescription (AOR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.04,3.30) were significantly associated with good knowledge of antimicrobial resistance.

CONCLUSION

The study identified low awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance among adults. Being male, higher educational level, getting advice from health professionals about how to take antibiotics, using health professionals as a source of information on antibiotics, and taking antibiotics without a prescription were significantly associated with good knowledge of antimicrobial resistance. Educational campaigns would be highly desirable for the public to improve their awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance.

Self-Medication Practice and Associated Factors Among Health Care Professionals at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Introduction

Despite self-medication empowers patients in making decisions about the management of minor illnesses independently, the prevalence among health care professionals has sharply increased throughout the world. Self-medication has negative consequences on both the health care professionals themselves and health care delivery. Hence, this study assessed self-medication practices and associated factors among health care professionals at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.

Methods

A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire among health care professionals working at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital from October 10 to 25, 2020. A systematic random sampling technique was employed to select 227 study participants. Multivariate logistic regression was computed using the statistical package for social sciences version 20 and variables with a p-value less than 0.05 were taken as statistically significant. Results were presented in the form of tables and graphs.

Results

Among 227 health professional, 164 (72.2%; 95% CI: 66.0%, 77.7%) practiced self-medication. Of these, 107 (65.2%; 95% CI: 57.3%, 71.8%) stated the negative consequence of self-medication. Drug resistance 96 (89.7%) and adverse drug reaction 95 (88.8%) were reported as a consequence. The predictor of self-medication among health professionals was the pharmacy profession (AOR: 11.88, 95% CI (1.38–102.38)). The most common disease conditions for practicing self-medication were headache 153 (93.3%), respiratory tract infection 116 (70.7%) and gastrointestinal symptoms 103 (62.8%). Pain killers 154 (93.9%), antibiotics 122 (74.4%), and antacid 101 (61.6%) were frequently used for self-medication and health professionals got the medicines from drug retail shops 130 (79.3%) and workplace 104 (63.4%). Mild disease condition 128 (78%), time-saving 124 (75.6%), and accessibility 97 (59.1%) were the reasons for self-medication.

Conclusion

More than two-thirds of health professionals practiced self-medication and reported the negative consequence of self-medication. The predictor of self-medication was the pharmacy profession. The provision of appropriate health education was recommended for promoting rational medication use.

Self-medication among health care workers in a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria: knowledge, attitude, and practices

BACKGROUND Self-medication is linked to the inappropriate and irrational use of medicines. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of self-medication among health care workers (HCWs) in a tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria. METHODS In a cross-sectional study carried out between June 2018 and December 2018 at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, 206 consenting HCWs were interviewed using validated questionnaires on their knowledge (assessed as good, fair, and poor), attitude (positive and negative), and practice of self-medication. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 21 (IBM Corp., USA). Bivariate analysis was carried out using chi-square. Statistical significance was set as p<0.05. RESULTS Prevalence of self-medication in the last 4 months was 89.3%, and significantly decreased with increasing age (p = 0.04) and holding a positive attitude toward self-medication (p<0.01). Knowledge of self-medication was fair for the majority 111 (53.9%). Most of the medications were used for headache (92.4%), fever (81.5%), diarrhea (75.0%), and respiratory infections (61.4%). Common drugs self-medicated included antimalarials (91.3%), analgesics (81.0%), and antibiotics (71.2%). 39 subjects (21.2%) self-medicated with tranquilizers. Familiarity with the treatment options was the main reason for self-medication for 60.9% of the respondents. CONCLUSIONS Self-medication was prevalent among HCWs in the study area. Concerted efforts are needed to educate HCWs on responsible self-medication. On a broader scale, restrictions should be enforced on the sale of prescription drugs, such as antibiotics and sleeping pills, and drug dispensers should provide effective counseling before dispensing.