SELF-MEDICATION AMONG UNIVERSITY OF BENIN STUDENTS

ABSTRACT

This study focused on assessing self-medication among students of the University of Benin, Benin City. Four research questions guided the study, awareness level, causes, effects and socio-economic factors that contribute to self-medication among students of University of Benin, Benin City. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 97 students across 14 faculties and boards in the University of Benin, Benin City. Findings revealed that 92.8% of the students were aware of self-medication, 84.5% alluded to the causes of self-medication, all the students agreed on the effects of self-medication including incorrect diagnosis, incorrect choice of therapy and failure to recognise special pharmacological risks and all the students agreed on the socio-economic factors that promote self-medication including emergency use, less expensiveness and peer influence. It was also indicated that self-medication has been associated with adverse health complications. It was thus recommended that health talks and seminars on the risk of selfmedication should be delivered to both medical and the general public.