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The purpose of this study is to investigate the Influence of Functional Literacy on the Practice of Self Medication on Undergraduates of the University of Benin. To guide this study, four research questions were raised; What is the level of functional literacy among Undergraduates of the University of Benin, what is the prevalence of self medication practices , is there an associatio between functional literacy and self medication practices among Undergraduates, what are factors influencing self medication behavior among Undergraduates.
The study was a descriptive research which adopted the survey research design. The sampling techniques used was the simple random sampling. Simple random sampling was used to select a sample size of 240 respondents of the total population of students in the selected faculties. The research Instrument used is a questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated by the project supervisor and two experts in the department of Health Safety and Environmental Education. The test retest method of reliability was used to establish reliability of which a coefficient was 0.76 was obtained, ascertaining the reliability of the questionnaire. Data was analyzed using simple statistical analysis such as frequency distribution tables and simple percentages.
The findings revealed that studentsof the University of Benin have a high level of functional literacy. The students reported feeling confident in understanding health related information. It also showed that students possess a level of self reliance in managing minor health issues and they also believe that self Medication is a convenient means if handling ones own health instead of the stress of seeking professional medical advice. The results of the study show that students with higher level of functional literacy are less likely to engage in self medication. The study also revealed that lack of access to health care professionals, peer recommendations and previous successful experiences Influence the practice of self medication. These findings indicate that undergraduates within the University of Benin are still prone to self medication despite their ability to understand health related information. This is exacerbated by factor like; convenience, cost of health care and lack of access to health care professionals. Based on the findings, the following were recommended ; implementing health literacy programs and campaigns emphasizing the importance of consulting health care professionals and risks associated with self medication. Efforts should be made to strengthen counseling services to provide guidance on health related decision making. Review of university policies to integrate guidelines on responsible medication practices and discourage self medication without professional supervision.
