Prevalence of Self-Medication and its Impacts on People's Health in Nigeria

Abstract

All through recorded history, humans have made use of preparations that are plant-based, but, containing biologically active, and sometimes highly effective substances as medicine. On a daily basis and the world over, people practice self-medication which has increasingly been accepted as a major component of self-care practice. This study examined the prevalence and impact of self- medication on the health of the people with the intention of making suggestion that can curb the challenges associated with it. In realizing this objective, the study made use of secondary data and found that; the practice of self-medication was high in Nigeria. Factors such as; lax in medical regulation, desire for self care, sympathy towards sick family members, poverty, pharmaceutical marketing and comparatively expensive and in some cases not readily available health care professional were responsible for this prevalence rate. The study also found that self-medication though advocated for the role it plays in relieving symptom, contributes to direct reduction in system cost as it delays onset of morbidity and mortality; also contribute to both morbidity and mortality in this era of fraudulent pharmaceutical products marketing. On the basis of these, the study recommended massive awareness campaign on the danger of self-medication, strengthening of various pharmaceutical regulations among others as ways of curbing this social phenomenon ofour time.