ArticleInternational journal of health sciences
Evaluation of the extent and reasons for increased non-prescription antibiotics use in a University town, Nsukka Nigeria.
Article in International journal of health sciences. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- The global prevalence of antibiotic self-medication among the adult population: systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Assessing barriers and opportunities for the improvement of laboratory performance and robust surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria- a quantitative study.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2025Observational
- Status and implications of the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards AWaRe antibiotic use, resistance and stewardship among low- and middle-income countries.JAC-antimicrobial resistance · 2025Review
- Antibiotics stewardship: prevalence, nature, and factors associated with dispensing of antibiotics without prescription among community pharmacists in Nigeria.Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice · 2025Article
- Review
- Knowledge and practices of community pharmacists towards non-prescription dispensing of antibiotics in Northern Nigeria.International journal of clinical pharmacy · 2020Article
- Non-prescription sale of antibiotics and service quality in community pharmacies in Guangzhou, China: A simulated client method.PloS one · 2020Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThe use of non-prescribed antibiotics has become a public health concern, and this behavior continues to thrive in many countries of the world including Nigeria. Evidence from previous studies suggests that increased antibiotic prescriptions and patients' past experiences are some of the factors contributing to the use of non-prescribed antibiotics. The present investigation was aimed at determining the factors driving this behavior and the extent of usage among people living in a sub-urban Nigerian community.
methodsA community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in Nsukka, South-East Nigeria using a semi-structured and self-administered questionnaire. An estimated sample size of approximately 400 respondents, with ages ranging from 18 to 60 years participated in the study. A number of males were 233 and 197 were females.
resultsDemographics showed that the majority of respondents were well educated. The behavior appeared to be common regardless of gender, age, and educational level. Results showed that more than 86% of the respondents use non-prescribed antibiotics for treatment or prevention or both. A significant percentage uses it to treat cold and cough. The most frequently used antibiotics where the penicillins (58%) followed by quinolones (22%). Tetracycline, aminoglycosides, and cephalosporin represented 20.75%, 14.75%, and 11% usage, respectively.
conclusionThis study revealed a substantial use of over-the-counter antibiotics, with this behavior cutting across gender, age and levels of education. However, participants' knowledge and awareness of the hazards associated with this behavior were lacking.
Indexed as
Identifiers
30022898PMC6040858W2809742652What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.