title: Assessment of self-medication practices in Assendabo town, Jimma zone, southwestern Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The actions taken for the treatment of illness or symptom of an illness vary depending on the perceptions and experiences of individuals and other factors. A significant portion of all care in illness is self-care. In many cases, self-medication is an important initial response to illness. Although some health-care providers attach negative connotations to it, the World Health Organization acknowledges the existence of a valid role of self-medication.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed at assessing the magnitude, type, and factors of self-medication in Assendabo town, Jimma, southwestern Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Assendabo town during February and March 2006. Open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data by interviewing heads of households in the study population. The data collected were properly screened before they were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 242 households with 1257 individuals were visited, of which 143 (11.4%) reported at least 1 episode of illness and of whom 56 (39%) used self-medication using both modern pharmaceuticals and traditional medicines. Low severity of illness was a major reason for practicing self-medication; 80.6% of self-medicating individuals had no information on potential drug adverse effect. About 55% of ill persons who treated themselves reported improvement in their condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is high prevalence of self-medication in Assendabo town. Lack of drug information and accessibility to over-the-counter drugs without any health professional guide contributed to the high incidence of self-medication. Enforcement of regulations in drug distribution and provision of appropriate health education to the community at large is critical.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Jimma University, Ethiopia. sultan.suleman@ju.edu.et
authors.forename: Sultan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suleman
authors.forename: Admasu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ketsela
authors.forename: Zeleke
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mekonnen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult