Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
Olayemi, O.J., Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; Olayinka, B.O., Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; Musa, A.I., Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
The prevalence and pattern of self-medication with antibiotics among undergraduate students at the Main Campus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria was evaluated using structured self-medication administered questionnaire. A total of 430 questionnaires were randomly distributed based on hostel of residence with a respondent rate of 65.80%. Majority of respondents, 65.50% were aged between 16-28years, while 188(66.40%) were males and 95(33.60%) were females. Distribution of respondents by Faculties showed they were mainly from Arts (43.20%), Social Sciences (42.10%) and Medicine (19.80%). Over half of the respondents (56.90%) admitted they self-medicate. Self-medication with antibiotics was most prevalent among students of health-related faculties, Pharmaceutical Sciences (80.40%) and Medicine (80.40%) and least prevalent among students from the Faculty of Engineering (27.80%). The major reasons given for self-medicating with antibiotics were; assumed knowledge on antibiotics (35.00%), prior experience on use (28.30%), while others admitted to lack of time to go for consultation (14.50%) and attitude of school clinic staff (14.50%). Majority of respondents (75.90%) however, self-medicate with antibiotics occasionally. The most reported antibiotic class (43.10%) was the β-lactams (as ampicillin and ampiclox®) while ciprofloxacin (a fluoroquinolone) was rarely used (10.60%). The conditions for which antibiotics were taken included GIT infections (84.10%), UT infections (42.10%) and skin infections (15.20%). More than half of the respondents (55.80%) purchased the drugs from private pharmacies. These findings highlight the need for planning interventions to promote the judicious use of antibiotics within the student population and indeed the Nigerian population. © Maxwell Scientific Organization, 2009.
