SELF-MEDICATION WITH ANTIBIOTICS PRIOR TO MEDICAL CONSULTATION AMONG OUT PATIENT DEPAMTMENT (OPD) ATTENDANTS IN MADINA POLYCLINIC

ABSTRACT

Background: Self-medication with antibiotics is practiced all over the world. However in developing nations, this practice is much more prevalent. Antibiotics self-medication is a precursor to the misuse of antibiotics which leads eventually to antimicrobial resistance which is now a global problem. In developing counties about 38% of the proportion self-medicate with antibiotics. Antibiotic self-medication is widespread in Ghana and there are several factors that have been identified with this practice. There is currently no published work on the prevalence of antibiotic self-medication and associated factors in Madina, the study was therefore aimed at determining the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics among attendants of the Out Patient Department (OPD) at Madina Polyclinic prior to seeking care medical consultation and associated factors.

Method: The study was conducted from the 13th of May to the 8th of June, 2019, involving 319 participants. A well-structured questionnaire was used in collecting information from the respondents with regards to their demographic characteristics, self-medication with antibiotics, reasons for self-medicating with antibiotics, sources of antibiotics and the knowledge on the use of antibiotics.

Results: From the study, 46.4% (95% CI 40.8% to 52.0%) had self-medicated with antibiotics before presenting for medical consultation at the hospital. Less than half of the respondents (44.5%) had adequate knowledge on the use of antibiotics. Having tertiary level of education was significantly associated with self-medication (aOR= 8.09, 95% CI 2.31-28.4, p = 0.001) whilst adequate knowledge on the use of antibiotics reduced the odds of self-medication by 53% (aOR= 0.47, 95% CI 0.23- 0.66, p