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

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 period 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 Nigeria.

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 Ibom 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 the claim that illness was mild and hence did not require the attention of a physician 146(31%). Patent medicine store was the most common source of these antibiotics used in self-medication and patent medicine dealers were the most consulted for choice of antibiotics to use in self-medication. A significant number of respondents 183 (38.8%) were of the opinion that self-medication with antibiotics is safe and thus should be encouraged.

Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics is high among civil servants in Uyo. There is an urgent need to educate the public on the rational use of antibiotics and enforce laws restricting access to antibiotics in Nigeria.