Self-Medication Practice among Amman’s Householders: Prevalence and Factors

Aims: This study is set out to explore the prevalence and the influencing factors of self-medication practice, besides, to assess the knowledge levels of Amman’s householders.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using pre-tested questionnaires. The householders (n=601) were randomly selected from two disparate regions in Amman (West and East), which reflect different segments of the society.

Results: Self-medication was practised by more than half (53.1%) of Amman’s Householders. The East of Amman householders shows a relatively lower rate (49.7%) of self-medication than the West of Amman ones (56.5%), which can be attributed to the higher ability to pay for medicines and a higher level of knowledge among West residents that might allow them to go directly to the pharmacies without consulting a physician. The relatively severe illness (e.g. respiratory diseases and eye complaints) showed the lowest influence for self-medication, which indicates a good level of awareness about the importance of consulting the health care professionals. Furthermore, the two main reasons for self-medication were experiencing a good result from previous self-medication (87.8%) and saving time (84.6%). The self-medication practice was associated with the education level and the knowledge level; the knowledge level of West of Amman residents was correlated positively with the self-medication practice prevalence; nevertheless, East ones presented a less notable pattern.

Conclusion: There is a knowledge gap regarding the proper SM practice, the health professionals must effectively educate the patients regarding the responsible self-medication practice and thus limit the adverse outcomes.