Self-medication refers to taking any treatment to deal with oneself for an sickness with out consulting a healthcare skilled. Such sicknesses can embody fever, physique aches, indigestion, diarrhea, and extra. Typically, varied people like associates, relations, and even pharmacies could provide options to the ailing particular person concerning which treatment to make use of for therapy. The treatment can both be a natural treatment or a regular pharmaceutical drug obtainable with out a prescription.
Over-the-counter (OTC) treatment performs an important function in healthcare throughout Africa, offering accessible and reasonably priced therapy for frequent illnesses with out the necessity for a prescription. In lots of areas, OTC medicine function the primary line of defence in opposition to sicknesses because of restricted entry to formal healthcare services. Understanding client behaviour, availability, and regulatory frameworks is crucial for guaranteeing the protected and efficient use of OTC medicines throughout the continent.
To raised perceive the views of Africans on over-the-counter medicine, GeoPoll carried out 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 biggest 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% acknowledged that they reside in city areas whereas 25% stay in rural areas.
Key Findings
Over-The-Counter Self Remedy
Based on 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 treatment really useful by lay sources or well being employees 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) medicines with out the steerage of a physician. In the meantime, a big 26% reported that they regularly 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 section, comprising 13%, acknowledged that they’ve by no means resorted to OTC options for his or her treatment.
Place of buy
A big majority (86%) of people who reported buying over-the-counter (OTC) medicine indicated that they accomplish that from pharmacies. In distinction, 7% of customers favor to acquire their medicines from kiosks, whereas 6% select supermarkets as their purchasing venue. A smaller section, 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 steerage. This development is essentially because of many individuals selecting pharmacies as their major location for buying medicines, usually interacting immediately with pharmacists who can recommend applicable medicine. In distinction, 24% of respondents search recommendation from medical doctors 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 regularly used OTC medicine
- Ache relievers (paracetamol / ibuprofen) – (76%)
- Chilly and flu treatment – (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) medicines, with 76% of customers counting on them for reduction. 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 regularly bought. Moreover, ointments (14%) and antihistamines for allergy symptoms (13%) contribute to the vary of OTC remedies used for on a regular basis well being wants.
Dosage directions
Survey outcomes point out that 66% of respondents persistently learn dosage directions earlier than taking over-the-counter (OTC) treatment, to make sure correct use. In the meantime, 28% solely learn the directions often, whereas 7% hardly ever accomplish that, highlighting potential dangers related to improper treatment use.
Potential dangers of OTC Self treatment
Self-medication can pose vital dangers and end in varied issues and well being issues. One potential hazard of self-treatment is the potential of misdiagnosing oneself and utilizing inappropriate treatment. Moreover, dangerous interactions between medicine 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.
Facet Results of OTC Self treatment
A putting 62% of the members shared that that they had by no means encountered any hostile results from utilizing over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, highlighting a way of confidence in these simply accessible remedies. Conversely, a notable 38% admitted to experiencing negative effects throughout their use, shedding gentle on the complexities and different reactions people could need to this type of treatment.
Causes for selecting self-medication
The first motive for people choosing self-medication is value, with 53% of respondents indicating that it’s cheaper than visiting a physician. Comfort additionally performs a big function, as 26% of members famous that self-medication is extra accessible than looking for skilled care. Moreover, 15% of these surveyed cited restricted entry to healthcare providers as a motive for his or her alternative, whereas a small proportion (2%) expressed better belief in over-the-counter (OTC) medicine in comparison with healthcare professionals.
Is healthcare reasonably priced?
Healthcare is often seen 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 world areas. This actuality usually thrusts people deeper into poverty once they require medical consideration. Based on WHO, The apply of out-of-pocket funds, warns the report, continues to position a monetary burden on over 200 million individuals, together with pushing over 150 million individuals into or deeper into poverty (newest information, from 2019) throughout the WHO Africa Area. It additionally exacts a heavy value on individuals’s well being and hampersprogress achieve common well being protection.
In truth, globally, half of all individuals impoverished due to out-of-pocket funds stay in Africa.
Ghana
Amongst those that have 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 extremely 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%) acknowledged that getting healthcare providers is considerably simple. As well as, 28% of members indicated that they’ll receive needed medicines with a excessive degree of ease. Nevertheless, a notable 20% of these surveyed expressed that they encounter challenges when attempting to entry healthcare, contemplating it to be troublesome, whereas a smaller group, comprising 4%, described the method as very troublesome. This highlights a various vary of experiences with regards to healthcare accessibility throughout completely different areas.
Skilled healthcare vs Over-the-counter self treatment
The survey indicated that a big majority, 93%, would select skilled treatment 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 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 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 influence of public well being crises, and construct extra resilient well being programs for the longer term. Our mobile-based surveys provide a singular and tried-and-tested technique to collect insights on illness unfold, public notion, and vaccine hesitancy, particularly in under-resourced areas.
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