Abstract
ABSTRACT Background Over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics are safe for pain-management when used as recommended. Misuse can increase the risk of hypertension and gastrointestinal problems. Objective To conduct a scoping review of the uses and misuses of OTC analgesics in sub-Saharan Africa, to inform strategies for correct use. Method Following guidelines for conducting a scoping review, we systematically searched Pubmed, ResearchGate and Google Scholar databases for published articles on OTC analgesic drug use in sub-Saharan Africa, without restrictions on publication year or language. Search terms were ‘analgesics’, ‘non-prescription drugs’, ‘use or dependence or patterns or misuse or abuse’ and ‘sub-Saharan Africa’. Articles focusing on prescription drugs were excluded. Results Of 1381 articles identified, 35 papers from 13 countries were eligible for inclusion. Most were quantitative cross-sectional studies, two were mixed-methods studies, and one used qualitative methods only. About half (n = 17) the studies recorded prevalence of OTC drug use above 70%, including non-analgesics. Headache and fever were the most common ailments for which OTC drugs were taken. Primary sources of OTC drugs were pharmacy and drug shops, and family, friends and relatives as well as leftover drugs from previous treatment. The main reasons for OTC drug use were challenges in health service access, perception of illness as minor, and knowledge gained from treating a previous illness. Information regarding self-medication came from family, friends and neighbours, pharmacies and reading leaflets either distributed in the community or at institutions of learning. OTC drug use tended to be more commonly reported among females, those with an education lower than secondary level, and participants aged ≥50 years. Conclusion Self-medicating with OTC drugs including analgesics is prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. However, literature on reasons for this, and misuse, is limited. Research is needed to educate providers and the public on safe use of OTC drugs.
Highlights
Over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics are safe for pain-management when used as recommended
In this paper we focus on the OTC analgesic use
OTC analgesics use is wide spread in sub-Saharan Africa to treat common ail ments such as fever and headaches
Summary
Over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics are safe for pain-management when used as recommended. Method: Following guidelines for conducting a scoping review, we systematically searched Pubmed, ResearchGate and Google Scholar databases for published articles on OTC analgesic drug use in sub-Saharan Africa, without restrictions on publication year or language. Conclusion: Self-medicating with OTC drugs including analgesics is prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Analgesics obtained over-the-counter (OTC) such as paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin are widely used to manage pain including fever, headache, musculoske letal pain and menstrual cramps [1,2]. They are safe if taken as recommended, but misuse has been asso ciated with conditions such as hypertension and gas trointestinal tract infections [3,4]. Once equipped with the correct information, people can make decisions to manage their health [7,14,15]
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