ArticleHeliyon2022
Antibiotics self-medication practices among health care professionals in selected public hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Article in Heliyon, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- The global prevalence of antibiotic self-medication among the adult population: systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Prevalence and predictors of self-medication with antibiotics in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2024Pooled it
- Self-Medication as a Global Health Concern: Overview of Practices and Associated Factors-A Narrative Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Self-Medication Practice and Associated Factors Among Health Professionals in Spain.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2025Article
- Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Towards Responsible Self-Medication Among Pharmacy Students: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey in Uganda.Drug, healthcare and patient safety · 2025Article
- Prevalence and determinants of antibiotics self-medication among indigenous people of Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Dermatology Self-Medication in Nursing Students and Professionals: A Multicentre Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Relationship between the Health Literacy and Self-Medication Behavior of Primary Health Care Clientele in the Hail Region, Saudi Arabia: Implications for Public Health.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2023Article
- Evaluating self-medication practices in Ethiopia.Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice · 2023Article
- Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Self-Medication Including Antibiotics among Health Care Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Pakistan: Findings and Implications.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Self-medication and medication storage practices among Lira University students in Lira city, Northern Uganda.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- The Utility of Internet-Enabled Antibiotic Self-Medication and Its Associated Factors Among Patients Attending Private Clinics in Kawempe Division in Kampala Capital City, Uganda: Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.Drug, healthcare and patient safety · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSelf-medication is the first option and response to most illness episodes. Use of antimicrobials without health care professionals' guidance may result in greater probability of inappropriate use, missed diagnosis, delays in appropriate treatment, pathogen resistance and increased morbidity. There is no sector in the health care community which is immune to drug abuse or misuse of which the worst offenders include physicians, nurses and pharmacy professionals. Self-medication among health care professionals may be an indicator that the health professional is neglecting his or her own health. This represents serious issues for both patients and the professionals.
objectiveTo assess self-medication practices with antibiotics among health care professionals in selected hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
methodFacility based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May, 2017 among 317 health care professionals. Convenient sampling technique was used to select study participants. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 20. Binary logistic regression analysis was done to check the relationship between the dependent variable (antibiotic self-medication) and selected independent variables (sex, age, marital status, income, professional qualification and work experience).
resultsThe prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics among health care professionals in one month recall period was found to be 72 (22.7%). The main reasons given for this practice were being familiar with the treatment options, 31 (43.1%) and need for rapid relief, 25 (34.7%). Respiratory problems, 29 (40.3%) and gastro intestinal problems, 28 (38.9%) were the most common illnesses for which self-medication with antibiotics was practiced while penicillins, 30 (41.6%) and fluoroquinolones, 29 (40.3%) constituted the two most commonly used antibiotics for the same. None of the variables had significant association with the practice of self-medication with antibiotics.
conclusionSelf-medication with antibiotics was common among the study participants. Efforts should be made by health authorities including Drug and Therapeutics Committee, Drugs Regulatory Authority, Hospitals' management and other stakeholders to ensure safe usage of antibiotics.
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