Factors Associated with Health Seeking Behaviours and Practice of Antibiotics Self-Medication among adults in Abakaliki metropolis, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

One of the inappropriate health seeking behaviours (HSBs) people express when they feel ill is self-medication (SM). The consequence of SM with antibiotics is the increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Therefore, this study aimed to assess HSBs and the practice of SM with antibiotics among adults in Abakaliki, Nigeria. The study was undertaken using cross-sectional study design. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 448 study respondents. Data were collected with a questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 26. Frequency tables were used to present the descriptive statistics. Bivariate and multivariate analyses of HSB and practice of SM with antibiotics against socio-demographic characteristics were done and statistically significant findings were considered with the alpha level of significance set at 5%. Only 161 (35.9%) of the respondents had appropriate HSB (consulting a doctor) as their first action when experiencing a health problem. Factors reported by majority of respondents to influence HSBs were perceived severity of illness 321 (71.7%), knowledge/past experience of illness 306 (68.3%), cost of treatment 304 (67.9%), and financial status 267 (59.6%). The predictors of HSB were being single (AOR = 0.349, 95%CI = 0.172–0.709, p = 0.004), privately/self-employed (AOR = 0.337, 95%CI = 0.158–0.720, p = 0.005), unemployed (AOR = 0.219, 95%CI = 0.074–0.645, p = 0.006), living with family members (AOR = 0.549, 95%CI = 0.307–0.981, p = 0.043), and earning at least 100,000 naira (AOR = 3.619, 95%CI = 1.271–10.303, p = 0.016). Many respondents 431 (96.2%) had ever practiced antibiotics SM. Over half 252 (58.5%) had practiced antibiotics SM in the previous three months before the study. Factors reported by majority to influence antibiotics SM were mild illness 293 (68.0%), insufficient funds to visit a health facility 244 (56.6%), affordable cost of care in pharmacy/drug shops 325 (75.4%), and knowledge/past experience of illness 326 (75.6%). Others were easy access to antibiotics from pharmacy/drug shops 357 (82.8%), successful treatment from previous use of prescribed antibiotics 366 (84.9%), and long waiting time in health facilities 266 (61.7%). The predictors of antibiotics SM were being single (AOR = 0.578, 95%CI = 0.351–0.953, p = 0.032), and earning 30,000–49,999 naira (AOR = 0.463, 95%CI = 0.268–0.802, p = 0.006). Most of the respondents had inappropriate HSBs and almost all had practiced antibiotics SM previously. There is need for mass sensitisations and enforcement of antibiotic dispensing laws in Nigeria. Also, scaling up health insurance in communities may address some identified factors influencing HSBs and SM, such as insufficient funds to visit a health facility.