Opinions, Attitudes, and Beliefs about Self-Treatment Practices in a Nigerian Urban Setting: Implications for Health Education

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The universality of self-care is well documented but there is a lack of data on the manifestations of self-care in a particular environment: information which is sorely required for health planning purposes. This study conducted in Ibadan, Nigeria, attempts to provide some detailed information on opinions, attitudes and beliefs on self-treatment — an important aspect of self-care. Within the three-month period prior to the study, 80 percent of respondents had self-treated themselves or a member of their family, and 55 percent bought modern drugs without a doctor's prescription. On the one hand, common, self-limiting diseases were self-treated with modern drugs. On the other, people with chronic diseases usually sought professional help. In the people's perception, the elderly and mothers of young children are most suited to engage in self-treatment. Most importantly, people view self-treatment as a right of the individual to take responsibility for and to take an active part in maintaining his/her health, rather than a substitute or alternative to professional care.

This publication has 8 references indexed in Scilit: