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| Year : 2009 | Volume
: 14
| Issue : 1 | Page : 36-41 |
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Malaria Self-Medication among students of a Nigerian Tertiary institution
UE Ezeoke
Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
U E Ezeoke
Department of Community Medicin, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
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Background: Malaria causes about 350 to 500 infections in humans and approximately 1.3 million deaths annually, mainly in the tropics. Sub Saharan Africa accounts for 85% of these fatalities. In many developing countries up to 60% - 80% of the health problems are treated by self medication The disease is often treated in Nigeria by self medication.
Objective: To ascertain the prevalence and practice of malaria self medication among the undergraduates of Nigeria tertiary institution.
Materials and Methods: A cross sectional descriptive survey was carried out among 250 undergraduates of the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus. A simple random sampling method was used to select the students. Sample size was calculated using a previous prevalence. Instrument of data collection was a self administered questionnaire.
Results: Two hundred and forty students 240(96%) suffer from malaria; and 160(67%) practice self medication. One hundred and fifty students (60%) believe self medication should be discouraged and most of them 98(55.4%) believe it encourages drug abuse.
Conclusion: The students treat themselves when they believe they have malaria. Most of them believe self medication should be discouraged. I therefore recommend a drug education intervention to curb the menace of self medication for malaria among our undergraduates.
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