Perceptions towards self-medication and its consequences among undergraduate university students: a case study of the College of Business and Management Sciences(COBAMS) Makerere University

Abstract

The study aimed at assessing the perceptions and practices of self-medication and examine their knowledge about the consequences of self-medication among undergraduate students at the College of Business and Management Sciences. This study was cross sectional in nature with both qualitative and quantitative techniques. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and the perceptions towards self-medication was collected from a sample size of 120 students at the College of Business and Management Sciences. Data was analysed using Stata version 15 and results on the knowledge, practice, attitudes towards self-medication and its consequences reported at univariate and bivariate levels. The research results indicated that the mean age was 22.1(1.56), majority of the respondents were female (70.8%). 115(95.8%) of the respondents had practised self-medication, (93)80.9% had practised self-medication in the past six months before the study. Majority of the respondents self-medicated with painkillers 110(91.7%) and the main driver for self-medication was that the respondents considered the illness minor 65(54.2%). The most commonly treated illness was headaches (37.9) and 8(6.7%) attributed their self-medication behaviour and that of their peers to examination or stressful periods. 23(19.2%) had experienced the negative side effects of self-medication. The prevalence of self-medication among the undergraduate students at the College of Business and Management Sciences is high. This study recommends that talks by the University be organised and students informed about the irrational use of drugs and the dangers associated with some of these drugs if not used under professional prescription.