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ABSTRACT
Self-medication involves the use of medicinal products by the consumer to treat self-diagnosed disorders or symptoms or the intermittent or continued use of medication prescribed by a physician for chronic or recurrent diseases or symptoms. The aim of the study is to assess the self-medication practices and its associated factors among undergraduate pharmacy and nursing students in a tertiary institution, Benin City, Edo State. A descriptive survey was used to 331 sample size. Data was collected using a well-structured questionnaire which had a reliability of 0.810. Data collected was analysed statistically using SPSS version 22 software. Findings revealed that 27.2 % had low knowledge and 72.8% had high knowledge about the level of self-medication practices. Further findings revealed 80.1% practice self-medication in the last six months, 45.2% visited the pharmacy to buy drugs without prescription, 57.4% did not know whether the drugs they took needed prescription, 45.3% reported that painkillers were the common drugs bought in the pharmacy, 80.1% knew the adverse effect of the drug taken. Further findings also revealed that 24.2% reported treatment ailment as a factor, 15.1% had medical knowledge and 15.1% having old prescription as factors affecting self-medication practices. Hypothesis showed that there is no significant relationship between the knowledge of self-medication among undergraduate Pharmacy and Nursing students and their year of study in school. Hence there is a need to make a planning strategy and awareness should be organized by Nurses and Pharmacists in the education area on improving the knowledge of self-medication among undergraduate pharmacy and nursing students.
