Factors Influencing the Practice of Self-Medication among Traders of Techiman Central Market

Medicines play an integral part of the health system; they are not only needed to save lives and promote health but also in preventing disease and other disasters like outbreaks. Medicines are one of the greatest weapons of humankind to fight against disease. The study sought to access the factors influencing the practice of self-medication among traders at Techiman Central Market. This study utilized a cross-sectional study design. Stratified and simple random sampling methods were used to select 403 respondents for the study. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS, version 23. Descriptive statistical analysis was carried out to obtain summary tables and graphs containing the demographic characteristics of the study participants. Odds ratios, were reported with their 95% confidence intervals (C.Is) with the level of statistical significance set at p<0.05 for all tests. Pearson's chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine associations at a 5% significance level. The study found that the prevalence of self-medication was 92.6%. Most of the respondents (69.2%) used herbal medicine because it is effective. There was a significant association between time spent at the hospital, busy schedule, distance, and the practice of self-medication among the traders (p-value=0.000). The study concludes that if the challenges facing traders as mentioned above were addressed self-medication would be minimized among traders at Techiman Central Market. 

Medicines play an integral part of the health system; they are not only needed to save lives and promote health but also in preventing disease and other disasters like outbreaks. Medicines are one of the greatest weapons of humankind to fight against disease. The study sought to access the factors influencing the practice of self-medication among traders at Techiman Central Market. This study utilized a cross-sectional study design. Stratified and simple random sampling methods were used to select 403 respondents for the study. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS, version 23. Descriptive statistical analysis was carried out to obtain summary tables and graphs containing the demographic characteristics of the study participants. Odds ratios, were reported with their 95% confidence intervals (C.Is) with the level of statistical significance set at p<0.05 for all tests. Pearson's chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine associations at a 5% significance level. The study found that the prevalence of self-medication was 92.6%. Most of the respondents (69.2%) used herbal medicine because it is effective. There was a significant association between time spent at the hospital, busy schedule, distance, and the practice of self-medication among the traders (p-value=0.000). The study concludes that if the challenges facing traders as mentioned above were addressed self-medication would be minimized among traders at Techiman Central Market.