Self-Medication with Antibiotics amongst Civil Servants in Uyo, Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Self - medication with antibiotics constitute a major form of irrational use of medicines and can cause significant adverse effects such as resistant microorganisms, treatment failure, drug toxicity, increase in treatment costs, prolong hospitalization peri od and increase in morbidity. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of self - medication with antibiotics and evaluate the socio demographic factors associated with the practice of self - medication with antibiotics among civil servants in Uyo, southern Nigeri a. Methods: A cross sectional survey using self - administered, structured, validated and pre - tested questionnaires consisting of open and closed ended questions. 526 of these questionnaires were randomly distributed to civil servants working in the Akwa Ibo m state civil service secretariat, Uyo. Results: The prevalence of self - medication observed in this study is 93.9%. The most commonly used antibiotics in self - medication were ampicillin/cloxacillin 133 (28.3%), metronidazole 130 (27.6%), co - trimoxazole 70 (14.9%), ciprofloxacin 69 (14.6%), and amoxicillin 46 (10%). The most frequent reason given by respondents for indulging in self - medication with antibiotics was