KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF SELF MEDICATION AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN GENERAL HOSPITAL, OFFA L.G.A, KWARA STATE

The prevalence of self-medication varies across different communities and it could be affected by several factors including lack of access to healthcare service, unregulated distribution of medicines, patients' attitudes toward healthcare providers. The aim of this research is assessment and practice of self medication among the pregnant women in General Hospital Offa, Offa LGA, Kwara State. A descriptive cross sectional survey was carried out among one hundred and fifty (150) respondents in General Hospital Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State with a semi structured self-administered questionnaire using multistage sampling technique to select respondents. Data collected were processed and analyzed using spss software program version 20.0 in calculating frequencies. This study revealed that majority of the respondents have knowledge of self medication by correctly define self medication as dangerous to pregnant women. Similarly, in a study conducted by Ayew et.al (2015), the respondents had adequate knowledge about self medication. In this study, 76.2% of the pregnant women agreed that lack of awareness of medication safety in early pregnancy is harmful for foetus respectively. Raising awareness of women on the danger signs of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period is crucial for safe motherhood. Also, 91.3% of the pregnant women agreed that knowledge of medicines dispensed at the ANC clinic is good to monitor mother and foetus health respectively. This study concludes that Self-medication is an alarming concept. This study focused on the self-medication of allopathic drugs, their use, its safety and reason for using it. It would be safe, if the people, who are using it, have sufficient knowledge about its dose, time of intake, side effect of it. Among the recommendations made include Provision of free medical checkup at antenatal care and free drugs for the pregnant women.