Self-medication refers to taking any medicine to deal with oneself for an sickness with out consulting a healthcare skilled. Such diseases can embody fever, physique aches, indigestion, diarrhea, and extra. Usually, numerous people like buddies, relations, and even pharmacies might provide recommendations to the in poor health particular person concerning which medicine to make use of for remedy. The medicine can both be a natural treatment or a normal pharmaceutical drug accessible and not using a prescription.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine performs an important function in healthcare throughout Africa, offering accessible and reasonably priced remedy for widespread illnesses with out the necessity for a prescription. In lots of areas, OTC medicine function the primary line of defence towards diseases as a result of restricted entry to formal healthcare amenities. Understanding client behaviour, availability, and regulatory frameworks is important for guaranteeing the protected and efficient use of OTC drugs throughout the continent.
To raised perceive the views of Africans on over-the-counter medicine, GeoPoll performed a survey capturing insights into their accessability, utilization, and challenges. This report highlights the important thing findings from the survey and sheds gentle on the present state of over-the-counter medicine utilization throughout the continent.
Demographic Overview
The survey gathered suggestions from 2,093 respondents in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The members ranged from 18-35 years previous, with the most important share being between 25-35 years previous (56%), and comprised 68% male and 32% feminine. A majority, (65%) are school diploma holders. As well as, 76% said that they reside in city areas whereas 25% reside in rural areas.
Key Findings
Over-The-Counter Self Remedy
In accordance with The World Well being Group; self-medication as “use of pharmaceutical or medicinal merchandise by the patron to deal with self-recognized problems or signs, the intermittent or continued use of a medicine beforehand prescribed by a doctor for power or recurring illness or symptom, or the usage of medicine really helpful by lay sources or well being staff not entitled to prescribe medication.
The survey uncovered insights into the self-medication habits of respondents. A notable 42% admitted to often turning to over-the-counter (OTC) drugs with out the steering of a health care provider. In the meantime, a major 26% reported that they steadily depend on these treatments to deal with their illnesses. On the opposite finish of the spectrum, 21% indicated they hardly ever self-medicate, whereas a smaller phase, comprising 13%, said that they’ve by no means resorted to OTC options for his or her medicine.
Place of buy
A major majority (86%) of people who reported buying over-the-counter (OTC) medicine indicated that they achieve this from pharmacies. In distinction, 7% of shoppers want to acquire their drugs from kiosks, whereas 6% select supermarkets as their purchasing venue. A smaller phase, comprising 2%, purchases their medicines from on-line shops.
Session
The survey reveals that pharmacists are essentially the most consulted supply for well being recommendation, with 53% of people preferring to hunt their steering. This development is essentially as a result of many individuals selecting pharmacies as their main location for buying drugs, usually interacting immediately with pharmacists who can counsel applicable medicine. In distinction, 24% of respondents search recommendation from docs or physicians. Moreover, 14% depend on data from family and friends, whereas 6% flip to on-line platforms for steering. Notably, 4% of people reported not consulting anybody for health-related recommendation.
Most steadily used OTC medicine
Ache relievers (paracetamol / ibuprofen) – (76%)
Chilly and flu medicine – (70%)
Cough syrup – (36%)
Antibiotics – (31%)
Antacids or digestive aids – (22%)
Nutritional vitamins or dietary supplements – (20%)
Ointments – (14%)
Antihistamines for allergy symptoms – (13%)
Ache relievers like paracetamol and ibuprofen are essentially the most generally used over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, with 76% of shoppers counting on them for aid. Chilly and flu treatments are additionally broadly used (70%), adopted by cough syrups at 36%. Regardless of being prescription-based in lots of areas, antibiotics are obtained OTC by 31% of customers. Antacids and digestive aids (22%), together with nutritional vitamins and dietary supplements (20%), are additionally steadily bought. Moreover, ointments (14%) and antihistamines for allergy symptoms (13%) contribute to the vary of OTC therapies used for on a regular basis well being wants.
Dosage directions
Survey outcomes point out that 66% of respondents constantly learn dosage directions earlier than taking over-the-counter (OTC) medicine, to make sure correct use. In the meantime, 28% solely learn the directions sometimes, whereas 7% hardly ever achieve this, highlighting potential dangers related to improper medicine use.
Potential dangers of OTC Self medicine
Self-medication can pose important dangers and end in numerous issues and well being issues. One potential hazard of self-treatment is the potential for misdiagnosing oneself and utilizing inappropriate medicine. Moreover, dangerous interactions between medicine would possibly occur as a result of incorrect dosages or misuse of medicines.
From the survey, half of the respondents acknowledged being absolutely conscious of the potential risks related to the over-the-counter self-medication. In the meantime, 43% are conscious of some dangers however not all of them, and eight% don’t acknowledge any dangers in any respect.
Aspect Results of OTC Self medicine
A hanging 62% of the members shared that they’d by no means encountered any adversarial results from utilizing over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, highlighting a way of confidence in these simply accessible therapies. Conversely, a notable 38% admitted to experiencing uncomfortable side effects throughout their use, shedding gentle on the complexities and diverse reactions people might need to this type of medicine.
Causes for selecting self-medication
The first cause for people choosing self-medication is value, with 53% of respondents indicating that it’s cheaper than visiting a health care provider. Comfort additionally performs a major function, as 26% of members famous that self-medication is extra accessible than searching for skilled care. Moreover, 15% of these surveyed cited restricted entry to healthcare companies as a cause for his or her selection, whereas a small share (2%) expressed better belief in over-the-counter (OTC) medicine in comparison with healthcare professionals.
Is healthcare reasonably priced?
Healthcare is usually considered as unaffordable for a lot of people in Africa, as most encounter appreciable monetary pressure from excessive out-of-pocket bills for medical care, restricted availability of public medical insurance, and minimal authorities funding in healthcare relate to different international areas. This actuality usually thrusts people deeper into poverty once they require medical consideration. In accordance with WHO, The apply of out-of-pocket funds, warns the report, continues to position a monetary burden on over 200 million folks, together with pushing over 150 million folks into or deeper into poverty (newest information, from 2019) throughout the WHO Africa Area. It additionally exacts a heavy value on folks’s well being and hampersprogress achieve common well being protection.
In truth, globally, half of all folks impoverished due to out-of-pocket funds reside in Africa.
Ghana
Amongst those that had been surveyed, 49% reported that healthcare is reasonably reasonably priced, whereas 30% indicated that it isn’t reasonably priced in any respect, and 23% believed that healthcare is reasonably priced within the nation.
Kenya
In Kenya, half of the respondents indicated that healthcare is considerably reasonably priced, whereas 31% asserted that it isn’t reasonably priced in any respect, and 20% reported that it’s reasonably priced.
Tanzania
51% of people in Tanzania really feel that healthcare is considerably reasonably priced, contrasting with Kenya and Ghana, the place 37% reported that it’s very reasonably priced and 14% expressed that it’s utterly unaffordable.
Uganda
In Uganda, 53% of the respondents reported that healthcare is considerably reasonably priced, whereas 25% famous that it is rather reasonably priced, and 24% expressed that it isn’t reasonably priced in any respect.
Entry to healthcare
Throughout the continent, almost half of these surveyed (49%) said that getting healthcare companies is considerably straightforward. As well as, 28% of members indicated that they will get hold of vital drugs with a excessive stage of ease. Nevertheless, a notable 20% of these surveyed expressed that they encounter challenges when making an attempt to entry healthcare, contemplating it to be tough, whereas a smaller group, comprising 4%, described the method as very tough. This highlights a various vary of experiences relating to healthcare accessibility throughout completely different areas.
Skilled healthcare vs Over-the-counter self medicine
The survey indicated that a big majority, 93%, would select skilled medicine if it had been available and cost-effective. Conversely, a smaller group of members, 7%, expressed that they might not search skilled healthcare.
Methodology/About this Survey
This Unique Survey was run by way of the GeoPoll cellular utility between the seventeenth January and fifth of February 2025 in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The pattern dimension was 2,093, composed of random GeoPoll app customers between 18 and 35. For the reason that survey was randomly distributed, the outcomes are barely skewed in the direction of youthful respondents.
GeoPoll is dedicated to supporting pharmaceutical corporations, well being organizations, NGOs, and governments in future well being challenges. Collectively, we will use information to tell focused interventions, mitigate the impression of public well being crises, and construct extra resilient well being programs for the long run. Our mobile-based surveys provide a singular and tried-and-tested option to collect insights on illness unfold, public notion, and vaccine hesitancy, particularly in under-resourced areas.
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