Self-Medication Practice among the Elderly Attending Primary Healthcare Centers in Lagos

Abstract

Background: There is a high incidence of self-medication with over-the-counter, complementary and prescription medicines in various localities. In order to use a non-prescription drug safely and with good results, the patients, specifically the elderly, need information such as, how to precisely identify symptoms and possible side effects of the medicine. Drug related problems are reported to be a contributing cause of hospitalizations in people over age fifty. The elderly are a neglected and vulnerable group that attention must be paid to in view of our ageing population. Data on self-medication practices in Nigeria, especially in the elderly population, are necessary to help with the planning of interventions and to improve on self-medication of medicines within this population.

Objective: This study was aimed at determining self-medication practice among elderly in Primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in selected Lagos state local government areas.

Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey that consisted of 300 elderly participants visiting the PHCs at the selected local government areas (LGAs) of Lagos State. Categorical and continuous data were analyzed using SPSS VERSION 23.Chi square test was used to determine association between socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge of medicines and self-medication practice and a p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: The prevalence of self-medication was 62.3%. The commonest reasons for self-medication were time constraints [100%], the most common drugs used for self-medication were analgesics [100%], Antibiotics [82.0%], antimalarials [82.0%], there was a significant association between knowledge and educational level [p= 0.003], marital status [0.016], occupation [<0.001] and medical insurance [p=0.001]. There was also a statistically significant association between self-medication practice and age [p= 0.027], occupation [p< 0.001], marital status [p< 0.001], education [p< 0.001], health insurance [p= 0.004].

Conclusion: Considering the patterns and high prevalence of self-medication among the elderly in this study, enforcing the restriction of not selling prescription medicines over the counter and increasing the intensity of educational programs for the elderly to further understand the risks and potential harmful effects associated with self-medication is of paramount importance.