Abstract: The practice of self-medication has long been in existence worldwide, and the situation continues to increase particularly in developing countries especially, in Sub Saharan Africa. Self-medication involves acquiring medicines without a prescription, re-presenting old prescriptions to buy medicines, sharing medicines with relatives or members of one’s social circle This study examined the attitude of mother towards self-medication among the people of Amassoma in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
The study adopted descriptive design to explore the attitude of mothers towards self-medication in Amassoma Community. The target population comprises of pregnant women and mothers of childbearing age with age 13-40 years irrespectively of their level of education. A total of fourteen (14) compounds were randomly selected out of 22 compounds of which forty (40) persons per compound were selected at random. The sample size was five hundred and sixty (560) pregnant women and mothers within the childbearing age that were randomly selected from the 14 compounds and were given questionnaires. Random samplings were used to select both the compounds and the women by the casting of lots. Data collected were analysed using chi-square, numbers, and percentages.
Findings reveal that a reasonable proportion of the respondents were aware of the malformation that occur due to self-medication during pregnancy, the commonest reasons given for not consulting a qualified personnel for prescription was that of illness not serious enough to require consultation, peer influence and ignorance about the problem resulting from self-medication. Similarly, levels of income, convectional education and health education were associated with the attitude of the mothers. Majority of the mothers had a significant knowledge of factors that influence self-medication. Finally, the implications of this study are the needs for health education and awareness programmes on the hazards, the risks and harmful effects as well as malformation that are associated with self-medication.
The paper suggests that government and non-governmental organization should see to the unnecessary media advertisement of drugs and ensures that only qualified pharmacist are allowed the sale and dispense of drugs. Future studies should compare the effects of self-medication on pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.
Keywords: Attitude, Mother, Alcohol, Self-Medication.
Title: Maternal Attitude and Practice of Self-Medication in Amassoma Community of Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Author: Awoniyi Babafemi Adeyanju, Ayoola Adekunle Dada
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
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