Dataset Information

Self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms in Southwest Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Self-medication with antibiotics is an important factor contributing to the development of bacterial antibiotic resistance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms among university women in Southwest Nigeria.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was administered to female undergraduate and graduate students (n = 706) at four universities in Southwest Nigeria in 2008. The universities were selected by convenience and the study samples within each university were randomly selected cluster samples. The survey was self-administered and included questions pertaining to menstrual symptoms, analgesic and antibiotic use patterns, and demographics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.

Results

The response rate was 95.4%. Eighty-six percent (95% CI: 83-88%) of participants experienced menstrual symptoms, and 39% (95% CI: 36-43%) reported using analgesics to treat them. Overall, 24% (95% CI: 21-27%) of participants reported self-medicated use of antibiotics to treat the following menstrual symptoms: cramps, bloating, heavy bleeding, headaches, pimples/acne, moodiness, tender breasts, backache, joint and muscle pain. Factors associated with this usage were: lower levels of education (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.8, 95% CI: 1.1-7.1, p-value: 0.03); non-science major (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.03-2.50, p-value: 0.04); usage of analgesics (OR: 3.17, 95% CI: 2.07-4.86, p-value: <0.001); and mild to extreme heavy bleeding (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.01-2.67, p-value: 0.05) and pimples/acne (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 0.98-2.54, p-value: 0.06). Ampicillin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and metronidazole were used to treat the most symptoms. Doctors or nurses (6%, 95% CI: 4-7%), friends (6%, 95% CI: 4-7%) and family members (7%, 95% CI: 5-8%) were most likely to recommend the use of antibiotics for menstrual symptoms, while these drugs were most often obtained from local chemists or pharmacists (10.2%, 95% CI: 8-12%).

Conclusions

This is the first formal study to report that approximately 1 out of 4 university women surveyed in Southwest Nigeria self-medicate with antibiotics to treat menstrual symptoms. This practice could provide monthly, low-dose exposures to antibiotics among users. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the impacts of self-medication on student health.

SUBMITTER: Sapkota AR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2965722 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms in Southwest Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Sapkota Amy R AR Coker Morenike E ME Rosenberg Goldstein Rachel E RE Atkinson Nancy L NL Sweet Shauna J SJ Sopeju Priscilla O PO Ojo Modupe T MT Otivhia Elizabeth E Ayepola Olayemi O OO Olajuyigbe Olufunmiso O OO Shireman Laura L Pottinger Paul S PS Ojo Kayode K KK

BMC public health 20101015

<h4>Background</h4>Self-medication with antibiotics is an important factor contributing to the development of bacterial antibiotic resistance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms among university women in Southwest Nigeria.<h4>Methods</h4>A cross-sectional survey was administered to female undergraduate and graduate students (n = 706) at four universities in Southwest Nigeria in 2008. The universitie ...[more]

PMID: 20946686

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Project description:Background and aimDental treatments have been limited to emergency care in many countries worldwide due to the global rapid spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Fear of contracting the disease in dental clinics has also altered the pattern of dental visits and self-medication. The present study compared self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) and the pattern of dental visits before and after the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic in a referral dental clinic in the north of Iran.Materials and methodsThe data for the present cross-sectional study was collected from 756 patient records retrieved from the archives of the Faculty Clinic of Rasht School of Dentistry during two separate periods: before the COVID-19 pandemic from mid-November 2019 to mid-February 2020, and after the pandemic emergence from mid-April to mid-July 2020. In addition to demographic variables namely age, gender, and place of residence of patients, their smoking status, chief complaint, and SMA were also extracted from patient records. The Chi-square test and binary logistic regression models with 95% confidence interval served for statistical analysis.ResultsIn total, 756 patient records (412 records from the pre-pandemic period and 344 records from the post-pandemic period) were evaluated. SMA was significantly more prevalent after the pandemic compared to that before pandemic (OR = 3.39, 95% CI = 2.43-4.73, P<0.001). The number of patients who smoke significantly decreased after the pandemic by 6.6% compared to that in pre-pandemic period. Dental pain, pus discharge, and abscess as the chief complaints of patients were significantly more prevalent during the post-pandemic period; while, dental checkups, tooth hypersensitivity, and esthetic dental problems were significantly more frequent as the chief complaints of patients during the pre-pandemic period.ConclusionThere is indication that during the COVID-19 pandemic, SMA and prevalence of acute dental problems in patients have increased. With regard to the consequences of SMA, there is a need to raise public awareness on this matter.

Project description:ObjectivesTo investigate leftover antibiotics and their influence on self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) for Chinese children, and further explore the different influences of leftovers from two main sources: previous prescriptions and pharmaceutical purchases.DesignA cross-sectional questionnaire study.SettingThe participants were approached through kindergartens and primary schools as well as in vaccination clinics.ParticipantsA total of 9526 parents from three Chinese provinces whose children were aged 0-13 years completed the survey.Outcome measuresThe prevalence of keeping antibiotics at home for children and the proportion of leftover antibiotics from two main sources were measured by a self-administrated questionnaire. Logistic regression models were established to examine the association between keeping antibiotics at home and SMA for children, specifically the risks of leftovers from two main sources.ResultsOverall, 4580 (48.1%) reported keeping antibiotics at home for children. Among those who had leftovers, 2891 (63.1%) reported that their leftovers came from previous prescriptions and 1619 (35.3%) reported that their leftovers came from pharmaceutical purchases. Mothers, older age of child, higher household income, higher education level and medical background were significantly associated with keeping antibiotics at home. Keeping antibiotics at home was significantly associated with SMA for children (adjusted OR=4.91, 95%?CI 3.84 to 6.28). Particularly, compared with parents who did not keep antibiotics at home, parents who kept leftover antibiotics from previous prescriptions and those whose leftovers came from pharmaceutical purchases were 3.80 (95%?CI 2.89 to 5.00) and 6.45 (95%?CI 4.89 to 8.51) times more likely to engage in SMA for children, respectively.ConclusionsKeeping antibiotics at home for children was pervasive in China. Most leftovers came from previous prescriptions, while those from pharmacies had a higher risk of SMA for children.

Project description:ObjectivesSelf-medication with antibiotics (SMA) contributes significantly to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), especially in low-income countries including Bangladesh. This study aimed to generate evidence on the self-reported prevalence of antibiotic self-medication and its determinants among indigenous people residing in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) districts.DesignThis study used a cross-sectional design with data collected through a survey using a semi-structured questionnaire.SettingThis study was conducted from late January to early July 2021; among different indigenous group populations aged 18 years or more olders residing in the three districts of CHT.ParticipantsA total of 1336 indigenous people residing in Bangladesh's CHT districts were included.Primary outcome and explanatory variablesThe primary outcome measure was SMA while explanatory variables were socio-demographic characteristics, health status of participants, and knowledge of antibiotics usage and its side effects.ResultsAmong the study participants, more males (60.54%) than females (51.57%) reported using antibiotics. The SMA rate was high among individuals with education levels below secondary (over 50%) and those in the low-income group (55.19%). The most common diseases reported were cough, cold and fever, with azithromycin being the most frequently used antibiotic. Levels of education, family income, having a chronic illness and place of residence were found to be the significant predictors of having good knowledge of antibiotic use as found in the ordered logit model. Findings from a logistic regression model revealed that men had 1.6 times higher odds (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.57; 95% CI 1.12 to 2.19) of SMA than women. Participants with ≥US$893 per month family income had lowest odds (AOR 0.14; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.64) of SMA than those who earned <US$417. Participants living in Rangamati districts had a lower risk of SMA (…) than those in Bandarban district. rate of SMA (AOR 0.52; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.90) than those in Bandarban district.ConclusionMale gender, family income, place of residence and knowledge of antibiotics were the significant predictors of antibiotic self-medication. Hence, it is important to streamline awareness-raising campaigns at the community level to mitigate the practice of SMA in indigenous people and ultimately address the devastating effects of Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Bangladesh.

Project description:BackgroundDevelopment of drug resistance caused by self-medication with antibiotics, can be seen as one of the growing global threats. Self-medication is defined as the selection and use of medicines by individuals to treat self-recognized illnesses or symptoms. The purpose of this study is to assess the practice of self-medication with antibiotics and associated factors among the community of Asmara, Eritrea.MethodsThis was a community based descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in 16 selected sub-districts of Asmara from September to November 2017. A Two-stage cluster sampling was employed to select study sites and participants. Data was collected in a face to face interview with a structured questionnaire and entered to CSPro version 6.2. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation and logistic regression were executed using SPSS version 22.ResultsA total of 580 study participants were recruited with a response rate of 99.5% (N = 577). The prevalence of Self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) in this study was found to be 45.1% [95% CI (40.5, 49.6)] and majority of them practiced once or twice in a period of 12 months. The main reasons for SMA were previous successful experience (34.4%) and the illness being 'not serious enough to seek medical care' (25.7%). Of those who self-medicated, 84.1% of used amoxicillin at least once. Wound infection (17.9%) and sore throat (13.9%) were the most self-recognized complaints that required self-medication. Antibiotics were supplied and recommended mostly by the community drug outlets. Only Sex (p = 0.046), knowledge (p = 0.019) and attitude (p < 0.001) of the participants were found significantly associated with the practice of SMA in the multivariate logistic regression.ConclusionsThough majority of the respondents considered self-medication with antibiotics as inappropriate practice, about half of them were practicing it anyway. Therefore immediate attention from relevant bodies is required.

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Dataset Information

Self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms in Southwest Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Self-medication with antibiotics for the treatment of menstrual symptoms in Southwest Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Similar Datasets

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