title: The use of non-prescribed anti-malarial drugs for the treatment of malaria in the Bolgatanga municipality, northern Ghana.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of non-prescribed anti-malarial drugs can lead to treatment failure and development of drug-resistant parasites. This study investigated the use of non-prescribed anti-malarial drugs for the treatment of malaria in the Bolgatanga Municipality of northern Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of 392 adults and children with episodes of malaria in the last four weeks prior to the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Majority of survey respondents 96.9% (380) knew the symptoms of malaria, 75% (294) knew the causes of malaria and 93.1% (365) were aware of mode of transmission of malaria. The use of non-prescribed anti-malarial drugs was 16.8% (95% CI: 13.3-21.0) among the respondents. About 56% (95% CI: 43.3-68.3) of the respondents who took non-prescribed anti-malaria drugs took non-artemisinin-based combination therapy (chloroquine, artemether, amodiaquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine). Respondents above five years of age were more likely to use non-prescribed anti-malarial drugs than those below five years of age [P < 0.001]; respondents who knew the right source of malaria treatment were less likely to use non-prescribed anti-malarial drugs than those who did not [P = 0.002]. Respondents using non-prescribed anti-malarials were influenced by people around them who used non-prescribed anti-malarials. Thus, these respondents were more likely to use non-prescribed anti-malarials than those who were not influenced [P = 0.004].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Respondents' knowledge of malaria treatment and the influence of people using non-prescribed anti-malarials are factors affecting use of non-prescribed anti-malarials. The study concludes that there is high use of non-prescribed anti-malarial drugs in the municipality and most of the non-prescribed anti-malarias were non-artemisinin-based combination therapy. The study recommends education of the general public and chemical sellers to reduce the use of non-prescribe anti-malaria drugs.
authors.affiliation: Ghana Health Service, Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, Bolgatanga, Ghana.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aborah
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Akweongo
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adjuik
authors.forename: Roger A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Atinga
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Welaga
authors.forename: Philip B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Adongo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002947:Cities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005869:Ghana; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs
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