Author(s)

Steward Mudenda^1*, Victor Daka², Scott Kaba Matafwali³, Manal Hadi Ghaffoori Kanaan⁴, Sura Saad Abdullah⁵, Shafiq Mohamed⁶, Webrod Mufwambi¹, Maisa Kasanga⁷, Benjamin Mulenga¹, Billy Chabalenge⁸, Ruth Lindizyani Mfune²

¹Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
²Department of Public Health, Michael Chilufya Sata School of Medicine, Copperbelt University, Ndola, Zambia.
³Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
⁴Department of Agriculture, Technical Institute of Suwaria, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq.
⁵Al-Suwaria General Hospital, Wassit Health Office, Wassit, Iraq.
⁶Medicines Management and Pharmacy Services, St James University Hospital, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK.
⁷College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
⁸Department of Medicines Control, Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority, Lusaka, Zambia.

Background: The global effects of COVID-19 on individuals worsened the problem of self-medication (SM), a driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In Zambia, there is little information documented on the prevalence of SM among students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim: This study assessed the prevalence of SM and associated factors among healthcare students at the University of Zambia. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 323 healthcare students using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23.0. Statistical significance was conducted at a 95% confidence level. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the factors that were associated with self-medication. Results: Of the 323 participants, 51.4% were female and 67.8% were from the program of pharmacy. The prevalence of SM was 95% with paracetamol (36.5%), azithromycin (19.3%), and chlorpheniramine (13.6%) being the most used medicines. The most common conditions that students experienced included headaches (22.6%), sneezing (13.6%), fever (8.7%), and coughing/sneezing (5.6%). SM practices were due to fear of contracting COVID-19 from healthcare facilities (21.4%), time-consuming at healthcare facilities (19.2%), and knowledge of medicines acquired in school (18.9%). Older students, aged between 34 and 50 years were less likely to practice SM compared to those who were younger (OR = 0.068, 95% CI: 0.015 - 0.304). Furthermore, students who were aware of SM were more likely to practice SM than those who were not aware (OR = 32.866, 95% CI: 7.751 - 139.525). Conclusion: This study found high awareness and prevalence of SM among healthcare students with painkillers, antibiotics, and anti-allergies overused to treat symptoms. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics may lead to antimicrobial resistance, thus the need to promote antimicrobial stewardship even in universities. There is a need to promote the rational use of medicines during COVID-19 and other future public health emergencies.

Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Resistance, Painkillers, Self-Medication, COVID-19, Healthcare Students

Mudenda, S. , Daka, V. , Matafwali, S. , Kanaan, M. , Abdullah, S. , Mohamed, S. , Mufwambi, W. , Kasanga, M. , Mulenga, B. , Chabalenge, B. and Mfune, R. (2023) Prevalence of Self-Medication and Associated Factors among Healthcare Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study at the University of Zambia. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 11, 340-363. doi: 10.4236/jss.2023.1110021.