PERCEIVED EFFECTS OF SELF-MEDICATION ON THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE IN SHANONO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KANO STATE

Abstract

This paper assessed the perceived effect of self-medication on health of the people in Shanomo
Local Government Area of Kano State. Four (4) research questions were formulated and
answered. Descriptive survey research design was used, three hundred and eighty four (384) men
and women was selected systematically from the population of this study which consist of 162,030
people in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State. Closed-ended questionnaire was used to
collect data from the sample selected. Simple percentage and frequency count was used to analyze
the items on the questionnaire after collection. The findings revealed that financial constraint,
cultural believe and location of the clinic are the reasons for self-medication, self-medication have
effect on the brain, increase the chance of mental illness, self-medication have effect on the social
misbehavior, social misconduct, level of social adjustment and drug addiction and self-medication
increases emotional distress and mood. It was concluded that self-medicationhave effect on the
brain and social misbehavior and also increases emotional distress, chance of mental illness and
mood. It was therefore recommended that people need to be more informed on the effect of self-
medication by government and non-governmental organization through staging mass campaign
and health agencies should create awareness on the effect of self-medication on the health through
the mass media.