Abstract: The study examined the knowledge and awareness of mothers towards self-medication in a Niger-Delta community of Nigeria. It was designed to assess the knowledge and awareness of mothers towards self-medication.
A sample size of 560 pregnant women and mothers within age 15 to age 49 were randomly selected. The research design was in a descriptive form. A structured questionnaire was used with test retest coefficient of 0.84 established. Data collected were analysed using chi-square, numbers, and percentages.
Findings show that a great numbers of the respondents were not aware of the severity of the negative effects of self-medication on pregnancy and childbearing. The commonest reasons given for not consulting qualified personnel for prescription was that, illness not serious enough to require consultation, peer influence and ignorance about the problem resulting from self-medication. Similarly, convectional education and health education were associated with the knowledge and awareness of mothers towards self-medication. 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.
Conclusively, 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: Knowledge, Awareness, Mothers, Self-Medication.
Title: Self-Medication: Maternal Knowledge and Awareness in a Niger-Delta Community of Nigeria
Author: Ayoola Adekunle Dada, Awoniyi Babafemi Adeyanju
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
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