Abstract

The practice of self-medication is the use of medications without a prescription from a health
care professional. Globally, rates of self-medication practice range from 32.5% to 81.5%.The
study aimed to: Determine the prevalence and factors contributing to self-medication in adults.
A cross-sectional study conducted in Serere town focused on the prevalence and factors
influencing self-medication in adults. A questionnaire consisting of open-ended and closedended
questions was administered to respondents to collect data to determine the prevalence
and factors influencing self-medication in adults. The data obtained were coded, edited,
entered, summarized, and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2013. Of the 100 participants
surveyed with a response rate of 100%, the overall prevalence was 89% in number of people
participating in the study. The most common non-prescription drugs used by respondents were
Panadol (19.10%), followed by 16.85%, 14.61%, 12.36%, 11.24%, 10.11 %, 8, 99% and 6.74% for
drugs such as Coartem, Vitamin C, Zinc, Azithromycin., Mebendazole, Covidex and Lasix
respectively (Table 2). Factors significantly associated with self-medication are male gender,
illiteracy, marital status, chronic disease, low wealth index, unemployment, accessibility to
pharmacies, and very long distance between home and hospital. Age is an independent factor
associated with self-medication. There was a high rate of self-medication among those
surveyed. Male gender, illiteracy, marital status, chronic illness, low socioeconomic status,
unemployment, accessibility to pharmacies, and very long distance between home and the
nearest medical facility are factors significantly associated with self-medication practices. Age
is an independent predictor of self-medication. More studies using larger sample sizes on the
prevalence and factors influencing self-medication use among adults in Serere town using larger
sample sizes should be considered.