Self-medication refers to taking any remedy to deal with oneself for an sickness with out consulting a healthcare skilled. Such sicknesses can embrace fever, physique aches, indigestion, diarrhea, and extra. Usually, varied people like buddies, members of the family, and even pharmacies might supply options to the in poor health individual concerning which remedy to make use of for remedy. The remedy can both be a natural treatment or a typical pharmaceutical drug obtainable and not using a prescription.
Over-the-counter (OTC) remedy performs a vital position in healthcare throughout Africa, offering accessible and inexpensive remedy for frequent illnesses with out the necessity for a prescription. In lots of areas, OTC medication function the primary line of defence towards sicknesses because of restricted entry to formal healthcare services. Understanding client behaviour, availability, and regulatory frameworks is important for making certain the protected and efficient use of OTC drugs throughout the continent.
To higher perceive the views of Africans on over-the-counter medication, GeoPoll performed a survey capturing insights into their accessability, utilization, and challenges. This report highlights the important thing findings from the survey and sheds mild on the present state of over-the-counter medication 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 The members ranged from 18-35 years outdated, with the most important share being between 25-35 years outdated (56%), and comprised 68% male and 32% feminine. A majority, (65%) are faculty diploma holders. As well as, 76% acknowledged 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 buyer to deal with self-recognized issues or signs, the intermittent or continued use of a medicine beforehand prescribed by a doctor for continual or recurring illness or symptom, or using remedy advisable by lay sources or well being employees not entitled to prescribe drugs.
The survey uncovered insights into the self-medication habits of respondents. A notable 42% admitted to sometimes turning to over-the-counter (OTC) drugs with out the steerage of a health care provider. In the meantime, a major 26% reported that they often depend on these treatments to deal with their illnesses. On the opposite finish of the spectrum, 21% indicated they not often self-medicate, whereas a smaller section, comprising 13%, acknowledged that they’ve by no means resorted to OTC options for his or her remedy.
Place of buy
A major majority (86%) of people who reported buying over-the-counter (OTC) medication indicated that they achieve this from pharmacies. In distinction, 7% of shoppers desire to acquire their drugs from kiosks, whereas 6% select supermarkets as their procuring venue. A smaller section, comprising 2%, purchases their medicines from on-line shops.
Session
The survey reveals that pharmacists are probably the most consulted supply for well being recommendation, with 53% of people preferring to hunt their steerage. This pattern is basically because of many individuals selecting pharmacies as their major location for buying drugs, typically interacting immediately with pharmacists who can recommend acceptable medication. 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 steerage. Notably, 4% of people reported not consulting anybody for health-related recommendation.
Most often used OTC medication
- Ache relievers (paracetamol / ibuprofen) – (76%)
- Chilly and flu remedy – (70%)
- Cough syrup – (36%)
- Antibiotics – (31%)
- Antacids or digestive aids – (22%)
- Nutritional vitamins or dietary supplements – (20%)
- Ointments – (14%)
- Antihistamines for allergic reactions – (13%)
Ache relievers like paracetamol and ibuprofen are probably the most generally used over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, with 76% of shoppers counting on them for reduction. Chilly and flu treatments are additionally extensively 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 often bought. Moreover, ointments (14%) and antihistamines for allergic reactions (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) remedy, to make sure correct use. In the meantime, 28% solely learn the directions sometimes, whereas 7% not often achieve this, highlighting potential dangers related to improper remedy use.
Potential dangers of OTC Self remedy
Self-medication can pose vital dangers and lead to varied problems and well being issues. One potential hazard of self-treatment is the opportunity of misdiagnosing oneself and utilizing inappropriate remedy. Moreover, dangerous interactions between medication would possibly occur because 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 remedy
A hanging 62% of the members shared that that they had by no means encountered any opposed 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 unintended effects throughout their use, shedding mild on the complexities and various reactions people might need to this type of remedy.
Causes for selecting self-medication
The first cause for people choosing self-medication is price, with 53% of respondents indicating that it’s cheaper than visiting a health care provider. Comfort additionally performs a major position, 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 providers as a cause for his or her selection, whereas a small proportion (2%) expressed higher belief in over-the-counter (OTC) medication in comparison with healthcare professionals.
Is healthcare inexpensive?
Healthcare is often 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 typically thrusts people deeper into poverty once they require medical consideration. In accordance with WHO, The follow of out-of-pocket funds, warns the report, continues to put 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 worth on folks’s well being and hampersprogress in achieving common well being protection.
The truth is, globally, half of all folks impoverished due to out-of-pocket funds reside in Africa.
Ghana
Amongst those that have been surveyed, 49% reported that healthcare is reasonably inexpensive, whereas 30% indicated that it isn’t inexpensive in any respect, and 23% believed that healthcare is inexpensive within the nation.
Kenya
In Kenya, half of the respondents indicated that healthcare is considerably inexpensive, whereas 31% asserted that it isn’t inexpensive in any respect, and 20% reported that it’s inexpensive.
Tanzania
51% of people in Tanzania really feel that healthcare is considerably inexpensive, contrasting with Kenya and Ghana, the place 37% reported that it’s very inexpensive and 14% expressed that it’s fully unaffordable.
Uganda
In Uganda, 53% of the respondents reported that healthcare is considerably inexpensive, whereas 25% famous that it is vitally inexpensive, and 24% expressed that it isn’t inexpensive in any respect.
Entry to healthcare
Throughout the continent, almost half of these surveyed (49%) acknowledged that getting healthcare providers is considerably straightforward. As well as, 28% of members indicated that they will receive obligatory drugs with a excessive degree of ease. Nonetheless, 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 in terms of healthcare accessibility throughout completely different areas.
Skilled healthcare vs Over-the-counter self remedy
The survey indicated that a big majority, 93%, would select skilled remedy if it have 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 cell software 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 direction of youthful respondents.
GeoPoll is dedicated to supporting pharmaceutical firms, well being organizations, NGOs, and governments in future well being challenges. Collectively, we will use information to tell focused interventions, mitigate the affect of public well being crises, and construct extra resilient well being methods for the long run. Our mobile-based surveys supply 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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