Prevalence and Factors Influencing Self-Medication among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Urban Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria
Despite the adverse effects of self-medication (SM), such as antimicrobial drug resistance, drug addiction, allergy, worsening of ailment, organ damage, disability, and death, the practice is still common and increasingly practiced globally, even among pregnant women. This study investigated the pre...
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | BioMed |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8430/3/1/14 |
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| author | Clement Kevin Edet Anthony Ike Wegbom Kitoye Gentle Samuel Leesi Sapira-Ordu Ishmeal Daniel Jaja Janet Ene-Peter Isaac Harold Chinemere Onyema Biteegeregha Godfrey Pepple Adeniyi Francis Fagbamigbe |
| author_facet | Clement Kevin Edet Anthony Ike Wegbom Kitoye Gentle Samuel Leesi Sapira-Ordu Ishmeal Daniel Jaja Janet Ene-Peter Isaac Harold Chinemere Onyema Biteegeregha Godfrey Pepple Adeniyi Francis Fagbamigbe |
| author_sort | Clement Kevin Edet |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite the adverse effects of self-medication (SM), such as antimicrobial drug resistance, drug addiction, allergy, worsening of ailment, organ damage, disability, and death, the practice is still common and increasingly practiced globally, even among pregnant women. This study investigated the prevalence and factors influencing self-medication among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in urban tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. A facility-based cross-sectional study was carried out in two tertiary hospitals in Port Harcourt between 25 September and 24 October 2022, using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and logistics regression techniques, and statistical significance was set at <i>p</i> < 0.05. A total of 413 respondents participated in the study. The prevalence of SM was 31.0% (95% CI = 26.7–73.3). Women who were not married and those with less than secondary education had the highest prevalence, 60.5% (95% CI = 45.1–74.0) and 51.1% (95% CI = 42.7–59.4), respectively. The common drugs used for SM were Paracetamol, antimalarials, antibiotics, cough and cold medicines, and herbal products. While the reasons for SM were emergency illness, high cost at health facilities, and distance to the health facility. The commonest illnesses/symptoms that necessitated SM included body pain, headache, fever, cold and cough, and vaginal discharge. Married women and those educated above the secondary level had lower odds of practicing SM compared to their counterparts; married (AOR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.18–0.78) and >secondary level (AOR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.18–0.51). This study showed that a significant proportion of pregnant women practiced SM and marital status and educational level were the factors influencing SM in the studied population. We recommend public health education and reproductive health programmes aimed at discouraging unmarried women and those with minimal education from the irrational use of drugs during pregnancy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:55:00Z |
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| id | doaj.art-e9a780a027964b249cca58cdad7f134b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-8430 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:55:00Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-e9a780a027964b249cca58cdad7f134b2023-11-17T09:43:29ZengMDPI AGBioMed2673-84302023-03-013116617610.3390/biomed3010014Prevalence and Factors Influencing Self-Medication among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Urban Tertiary Hospitals in NigeriaClement Kevin Edet0Anthony Ike Wegbom1Kitoye Gentle Samuel2Leesi Sapira-Ordu3Ishmeal Daniel Jaja4Janet Ene-Peter5Isaac Harold6Chinemere Onyema7Biteegeregha Godfrey Pepple8Adeniyi Francis Fagbamigbe9Department of Community Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt 500262, NigeriaDepartment of Public Health Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt 500262, NigeriaDepartment of Human Kinetics, Health and Safety Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt 500102, NigeriaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt 500262, NigeriaDepartment of Community Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt 500262, NigeriaDepartment of Nursing Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt 500262, NigeriaDepartment of Public Health Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt 500262, NigeriaDepartment of Nursing Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt 500262, NigeriaDepartment of Nursing Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt 500262, NigeriaDepartment of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200005, NigeriaDespite the adverse effects of self-medication (SM), such as antimicrobial drug resistance, drug addiction, allergy, worsening of ailment, organ damage, disability, and death, the practice is still common and increasingly practiced globally, even among pregnant women. This study investigated the prevalence and factors influencing self-medication among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in urban tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. A facility-based cross-sectional study was carried out in two tertiary hospitals in Port Harcourt between 25 September and 24 October 2022, using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and logistics regression techniques, and statistical significance was set at <i>p</i> < 0.05. A total of 413 respondents participated in the study. The prevalence of SM was 31.0% (95% CI = 26.7–73.3). Women who were not married and those with less than secondary education had the highest prevalence, 60.5% (95% CI = 45.1–74.0) and 51.1% (95% CI = 42.7–59.4), respectively. The common drugs used for SM were Paracetamol, antimalarials, antibiotics, cough and cold medicines, and herbal products. While the reasons for SM were emergency illness, high cost at health facilities, and distance to the health facility. The commonest illnesses/symptoms that necessitated SM included body pain, headache, fever, cold and cough, and vaginal discharge. Married women and those educated above the secondary level had lower odds of practicing SM compared to their counterparts; married (AOR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.18–0.78) and >secondary level (AOR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.18–0.51). This study showed that a significant proportion of pregnant women practiced SM and marital status and educational level were the factors influencing SM in the studied population. We recommend public health education and reproductive health programmes aimed at discouraging unmarried women and those with minimal education from the irrational use of drugs during pregnancy.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8430/3/1/14self-medicationprevalencepregnant womenantenatal clinicrisk factors |
| spellingShingle | Clement Kevin Edet Anthony Ike Wegbom Kitoye Gentle Samuel Leesi Sapira-Ordu Ishmeal Daniel Jaja Janet Ene-Peter Isaac Harold Chinemere Onyema Biteegeregha Godfrey Pepple Adeniyi Francis Fagbamigbe Prevalence and Factors Influencing Self-Medication among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Urban Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria BioMed self-medication prevalence pregnant women antenatal clinic risk factors |
| title | Prevalence and Factors Influencing Self-Medication among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Urban Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria |
| title_full | Prevalence and Factors Influencing Self-Medication among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Urban Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence and Factors Influencing Self-Medication among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Urban Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence and Factors Influencing Self-Medication among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Urban Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria |
| title_short | Prevalence and Factors Influencing Self-Medication among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Urban Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria |
| title_sort | prevalence and factors influencing self medication among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in urban tertiary hospitals in nigeria |
| topic | self-medication prevalence pregnant women antenatal clinic risk factors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8430/3/1/14 |
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