Extent and Correlates of Self-Medication Practice among Community-Dwelling Adults in Eastern Ethiopia

Table 3

Reported illness history and magnitude of self-medication practice among community-dwelling adults in Ethiopia.

Items	Options	Frequency ()	Percent (%)
Illness in the past one month	No	209	32.3
	Yes	438	67.7
What was your measure ()	Visit health facility	359	55.5
	Take medicine by my self	60	9.3
	Seek recovery	1	.2
	Consult health professionals personally	18	2.8
Self-medication in the last month	No	549	84.9
	Yes	98	15.1
Self-medication was for	Fever/headache	28	4.3
	Cold and cough	38	5.9
	Gastrointestinal symptoms	78	12.1
	Back pain	26	4.0
	Dysmenorrhea	8	1.2
Number of drugs used	1	17	2.6
	2	51	7.9
	3	29	4.5
	5	1	.2
Type of drug used	Over-the-counter drugs	17	17.2
	Prescription-only drugs	81	80.7
Forms of drug used	Injections	2	0.3
	Oral tablets	95	14.7
Group of the drug(s) used	Antibiotics	38	5.9
	Antipain	72	11.1
	GI drugs	84	13.0
	Antacids and others	14	2.2%
How do you identify the doses ()	By checking the package	2	.3
	By consulting family members/friends	23	3.6
	Consulting doctors/health professionals	16	2.5
	Previous experience	49	7.6
Who advised you to take medication ()	Friends	18	2.8
	Professionals	21	3.2
	Myself	56	8.7
	Neighbors	2	.3
Self-medication history before the current illness	No	254	39.3
	Yes	393	60.7
Have you ever treated yourself with self-medication without prescription	No	208	32.1
	Yes	439	67.9
Reason for choosing self-medication	Being mild illness	71	11.0
	To get rapid cure	79	12.2
	To save time and money	13	2.0
	Physically accessible	59	9.1
	Not confident in health facility services	24	3.7
	Peer influence	5	0.8