https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5044-1897
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Abstract
Background
The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare resources has led to an increase in self-medication as a coping mechanism. The purpose of the study is to investigate the prevalence of self-medication, the reasons behind it, and its potential consequences during the pandemic.
Methods
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Moriba Town, Bo City, Southern Sierra Leone. Using a multistage systematic sampling technique, 246 adult participants were selected. Data were collected using Kobo collect electronic platform and analyzed using SPSS version 26.0.
Results
Out of the 246 adult residents who were sampled, 63 (26%) practiced self-medication. Among them, females (33 or 52%) were more prevalent than males (30 or 48%). The most dominant age groups for self-medication were 38–47 (22 or 35%) and 28–37 (18 or 29%). The major reasons for self-medication were fear of infection (189 or 77%), fear of quarantine (199 or 81%), and stigma (189 or 77%). Delays in treatment (113 or 46%) and unavailability of Covid-19 medications (92 or 37%) were also cited. However, a majority of respondents (162 or 66%) denied the influence of friends or media (168 or 68%) on their decision to self-medicate. Reasons like “delay in receiving treatment” and “influence of friends” showed significant association with self-medication (pValue <0.05). More than half of the respondents 177 (72%) did not practice self-medication before the pandemic. Adverse reactions due to self-medication included skin rashes and blisters 29 (45%) and drowsiness 24 (38%).
Conclusion
The prevalence of unsupervised medication before and after the pandemic was minimal suggesting little impact of the pandemic. Fear and social stigma were the main drivers for self-medication. To promote safety and informed health decisions, regulatory measures, and awareness campaigns are essential to control unsupervised medication sales, improve drug labeling, and educate the public about the dangers of self-medication.
Consent
All authors read and approved the final draft of the manuscript and also agreed on the journal for publication. Also, research subjects were duly informed of the results and the goal to publish it; they all consented.
Acknowledgment
The corresponding author greatly appreciate the overwhelming contribution of Gibril Swaray, Emurana Kabba, Umara Kanneh Boima especially during the data collection process. The authors greatly appreciate Mrs Isha Moseray for her moral support in the course of the study.
Author Contributions
Each author significantly contributed to the reported work, encompassing conception, study design, execution, data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation. They provided final approval for the publication version, unanimously selected the journal for submission, and jointly agreed to be responsible for all facets of the work.
Disclosure
The authors generally declare no conflict of interest.