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Title: | Predictors of Self-Medication Practices among Adults Living with Hiv/Aids in the Bolgatanga Municipality in the Upper East Region, Ghana. |
Authors: | Saffoh, Samuel Amoateng Yeetey, Enuameh |
Keywords: | Hiv/Aids Self-Medication |
Issue Date: | 16-Nov-2020 |
Abstract: | In the quest for quick relief for minor ailments, reduce cost and save time from visiting a doctor
and avoid the long queues in hospitals most people tend to practice self-medication. However
people living with HIV/AIDS who usually take a minimum of three highly active antiretroviral
drugs need to be extra cautious in order to avoid pronounced adverse reactions, drug-drug
interactions and masking of opportunistic infections. The purpose of the study was to assess the
factors that influence the practice of self-medication among adults living with HIV/AIDS in the
Bolgatanga municipality of the Upper East region of Ghana. Structured questionnaires were
administered to 286 HIV adult clients who visited the ART clinic of the Bolgatanga regional
hospital using convenient sampling techniques to collect data. The data were analysed using
STATA 14 and presented using tables, frequencies and percentages. Statistical significance for
all testing was set as 0.05.
Out of the total number of participants, 38.81% referred to have self-medicated within the last
three months prior to the study. Pain relief (78.38%) was the major reason for self-medication
and as such analgesics usage was high (76.58%). Majority of participants (94.4%) had poor
knowledge about effects of SM on ART. More than half of participants (61.5%) had a positive
attitude and had higher odds to practice self-medication. (OR: 13.5 CI: 6.26-27.54, p value=0.00)
Among the perceived health system factors, the perennial shortage of medicines in hospitals was
twice likely to influence HIV clients to self-medicate (AOR= 1.9, CI: 1.05-3.34, p=0.03)
This research recommends that health facilities should work at improving the availability of
essential medicines. Also continuous education to clients is key to minimize adverse events and
improve adherence to therapy. |
Description: | A Dissertation submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame
Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Public
Health; Health Services Planning and Management, March, 2019. |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/13226 |
Appears in Collections: | College of Health Sciences
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