ATTITUDINAL LAXITY OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AS A CAUSATIVE FACTOR FOR SELF-MEDICATION AMONG UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATES
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Abstract
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Self-medication is increasingly becoming a public health concern with dire consequences for the
global population. As self-medication rises so does substance abuse and addiction which has farreaching
consequences for the health of the population. Some of the potential risks of selfmedication
practices include incorrect self-diagnosis, missed diagnosis, delays in seeking medical
advice when needed, infrequent but severe adverse reactions, dangerous drug interactions,
incorrect manner of administration, incorrect dosage, incorrect choice of therapy, masking of
severe disease, pathogen resistance, increased morbidity and increased risk of death. This study
examined the relationship between the poor attitudinal disposition of healthcare professionals and
the increase in self-medication among Covenant University undergraduates. A self-administered
questionnaire was utilized to elicit information about the attitude of the University health center
professionals from respondents in a cross-sectional survey. Findings among others revealed that
students are often discouraged from visiting the health center whenever they are ill primarily due
to the hostile way, they are attended to by the health care professionals at the health center. As a
result, they prefer to self-medicate which to them is cheaper and more accessible. Some of the
behavioral dispositions of the healthcare professionals they described include a lack of empathy,
hostility, and a judgmental attitude. This attitudinal lax has in turn led to an upsurge in selfmedication
and consequently drug abuse among the student population leading to poor patient
outcomes. This study suggests attitudinal change among Nigerian healthcare professionals to avert
unnecessary public health pitfalls which may be a threat to achieving better health outcomes
among the general population.
Keywords
HM Sociology