KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF SELF-MEDICATION AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF ALVAN IKOKU FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, OWERRI

Abstract This study determined the knowledge and practice of self-medication among undergraduate students of Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri. To achieve the purpose of the study four research objectives, with four corresponding research questions and two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Cross- sectional descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population for the study consisted of 5,906 undergraduate students in Owerri Municipal Council. The sample size consisted of 250 undergraduate students was drawn using multi-stage sampling procedure. A self-structured questionnaire titled “Knowledge and Practice of Self-medication among Undergraduate Students Questionnaire (KPSUSQ) was used for data collection. Data generated were analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency counts and percentages. Results revealed that More than half (58.8%) of the respondents of undergraduate students of Alvan Ikoku Federal University Education Owerri, Imo State have knowledge of self-medication. More than half of the respondents (55.6 %) of undergraduate students always practice the following self-medication. The female undergraduate students have knowledge of self-medication than the female counterparts. The female undergraduate students in Alvan Ikoku Federal University Education Owerri practice self-medication than the male counterparts. There is no significant difference in the knowledge of self medication among undergraduate students of AIFUE, Owerri based on gender. There is no significant difference in the practice of practice of self medication among undergraduate students of AIFUE, Owerri based on gender. The study recommended among that Organizing awareness campaigns in the media and teaching courses on the proper use of medicine and the consequences of self-medication could help in reducing the rate of self-medication among the undergraduate students. Although, self-medication practice is inevitable, the drug regulatory authorities and healthcare professionals had the most significant responsibility to control self-medication by providing the students with information about the total impact of drugs on the body. .