AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSES OF SELF MEDICATION AMONG UNDERGRADUATES STUDENTS IN ABIA STATE POLYTECHNIC
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The term “medication” refers to the practice of using pharmaceuticals to prevent, diagnose, or treat disorders. When a patient reports an illness to a doctor at a hospital or clinic, the doctor makes a diagnosis and then prescribes the necessary medications to treat the condition. This ensures that the patient is taking the correct medication. In most cases, pharmacists will fill the prescription for the desired medication at the pharmacy (Femi and Oyewo et, 2020). Self-medication is defined as using pharmaceuticals to treat an illness or symptoms that one has self-diagnosed, as well as using prescription drugs in a limited or sporadic capacity to treat a disease or symptoms that are persistent or severe.
recurring. When purchasing over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, the consumer acts as his or her own physician, diagnosing the condition and selecting the appropriate medication to treat it. WHO (2007). (2007).
Self-medication is frequently viewed as a means of achieving independence from the traditional healthcare system provided by Medicare. According to the International Pharmaceutical Federation and the World Self-medication Industry’s joint definition, self-medication is the practice of individuals using over-the-counter medications on their own volition. Furthermore, it asserts that: 1. Self-care, which may also include self-medication, has long been a component of health care (Femi-Oyewo et, 2020).
2. In today’s world, people are beginning to accept a greater degree of personal responsibility for their current situation.
state of health and are attempting to obtain as much reliable information as possible from authoritative sources to assist them in making appropriate healthcare decisions.
3. The government and health insurers are increasingly promoting self-care, including self-medication where appropriate, as a means of slowing the rate of increase in third-party spending on health care.
4. Pharmacists are the public’s day-to-day healthcare counselors, as well as major players in the distribution of medications and the provision of medication advice.
5. Advertising plays an important role in informing consumers about drugs that can be purchased without a doctor’s prescription. It must always be accountable, and it must
Never discourage someone from seeking the advice of a pharmacist or a physician.
In most cases, people have several treatments from which to choose for any ailment that can be imagined. Illnesses include things like a fever, a cold, catarrh, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, bodily pains, headaches, and so on. The fact that people you know or even complete strangers are always willing to give you advice on which drug to take is dangerous, despite the fact that there is often no immediate effect. This demonstrates how self-medication has become a risk to the general public’s health in our society as a whole. Consider the fact that the vast majority of pharmaceuticals in Nigeria require a prescription.
without a doctor’s prescription, from pharmacies, patent medicine shops, and even on the side of the road (Femi-Oyewo et, 2020).
Another type of self-medication is obtaining and using medications without first consulting a medical professional for a diagnosis, prescription, or follow-up therapy. This could be done for a number of reasons. It is common knowledge that pharmaceuticals are composed of chemicals, and that these compounds can have both positive and negative effects on the human body.
Drugs, in fact, have the ability to both heal and harm. An undergraduate, according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, is a student at any university or institution who is working for their degree. The first degree. Several studies have found that an alarmingly high percentage of the student population self-medicates. In a study conducted by the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical, microbiology faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Nigeria, the majority of respondents practiced self-medication. The study was titled “Evaluation of Antibiotics Self-medication Pattern Among Ahmadu Bello University (Main Campus), Zaria Undergraduate Students.” Consider a study conducted by faculty from the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Microbiology. And that students in health-related faculties, such as pharmaceutical sciences and medicine, were the most likely to self-medicate with antibiotics; the top four reasons given for doing so were: a. assumed knowledge of antibiotics; b. prior experience with antibiotics; and c. personal preference.
the use; c. a lack of time to go to the school clinic for consultation; and d. the attitude of the school clinic staff (Femi-Oyewo et, 2020).
Antibiotics were used to treat a wide range of ailments, including skin infections, gastrointestinal tract infections, and urinary tract infections. The most common were skin infections. In addition, the institution’s atmosphere is another factor that contributes to the prevalence of young people engaging in self-medication. This is because there is no adult supervision present, and it is the first time the students have had the opportunity to be away from their homes and a part of a larger group without being subject to any kind of restraint or regulation. Universities and colleges have
Students are more susceptible and gullible to try out new things, regardless of how dangerous they may be, because they are in their final phase of freedom before entering adulthood, which is accompanied by responsibilities and obligations (Femi-Oyewo et, 2020).
Despite several awareness and enlightenment campaigns, self-medication continues to be a common practice. To effectively combat the practice of self-medication, it is necessary to first understand the factors that influence self-medication (also known as the factors that promote the practice of self-medication among undergraduates).
1.2 Formulation of the Problem
As a member of the medical field, the researcher, who has the opportunity to know people in the field, made the startling discovery. community that some cases of serious side effects and allergic reactions following drug use could be traced back to self-medication. It has also been observed that an increasing number of patients who present themselves to hospitals seeking treatment engage in self-medication, which, in the vast majority of cases, aggravates their pre-existing health condition (Femi-Oyewo et, 2020). Self-medication can have a variety of negative consequences, such as drug interactions, inappropriate therapy for the underlying issue, drug dependence, mental illness, and even death. It’s possible that today’s young people’s exploratory nature is to blame for the rise in the number of young people who self-medicate. It is therefore critical to investigate the impact of self-medication among Abia State undergraduates.
1.3 Purpose of Research
The overall goal of this research is to look into the causes of self-medication among undergraduate students in Abia State. The research will be guided by the following criteria:
i. Determine the reason why students self-medicate.
ii. To investigate the impact of self-medication on student well-being.
iii. To look into the government’s role in reducing self-medication among students.
iv. To assess how self-medication among students can be reduced.
1.4 Research Suggestions
The research will attempt to answer the following questions:
i. What is the reason for student self-medication?
ii. What effect does self-medication have on students’ well-being?
Is there any government funding available to help students stop self-medicating?
iv. What are some strategies for reducing student self-medication?
1.5 Importance of the research
This study will be significant to the government because it will expose how students abuse drugs by self-medicate and thus propose a law to help curb the menace of self-medication among students.
The study will benefit the academic community because it will add to the existing literature.
1.6 The scope of the research
This study will investigate why students self-medicate. The study will also look into the impact of self-medication on student well-being. The study will look into the government’s role in helping students stop self-medicating. Finally, the research will look into different methods of self-medication.
It is possible to limit bullying among students. As a result, this research will be limited to Abia State Polytechnic.
1.7 Limitations of the Research
The researchers encountered minor constraints while conducting the study, as with any human endeavor. Inadequate funds tend to impede the researcher’s efficiency in sourcing relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in the data collection process (internet, questionnaire, and interview), which is why the researcher chose a moderate sample size. Furthermore, the researcher will conduct this study alongside other academic work. As a result, the time spent researching will be reduced.
1.8 Operational Terminology Definition
Self-medication is the use of a drug without a doctor’s prescription to treat a perceived medical condition.
or a genuine illness, or to relieve distress or pain.
Causes: Factors that contribute to or lead to self-medication.
Undergraduates: Students pursuing a first degree at the University of Lagos, both full-time and part-time.
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