Self-Medication with Antibiotics among University Students in LMIC: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) is common among university students in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there has been no meta-analysis and systematic review in the population. Methodology: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase and Web of Sc...

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Main Authors: Rixiang Xu, Tingyu Mu, Guan Wang, Jing Shi, Xin Wang, Xiaoli Ni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2019-08-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11359
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author Rixiang Xu
Tingyu Mu
Guan Wang
Jing Shi
Xin Wang
Xiaoli Ni
author_facet Rixiang Xu
Tingyu Mu
Guan Wang
Jing Shi
Xin Wang
Xiaoli Ni
author_sort Rixiang Xu
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) is common among university students in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there has been no meta-analysis and systematic review in the population. Methodology: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase and Web of Science for the period from January 2000 to July 2018. Only observational studies that had SMA among university students from LMICs were included. A random-effects model was applied to calculate the pooled effect size with 95% confidence interval (CI) due to the expected heterogeneity (I2 over 50%). Results: The pooled prevalence of SMA of overall included studies was 46.0% (95% CI: 40.3% to 51.8%). Africa had the highest pooled prevalence of SMA among university students (55.30%), whereas South America had the lowest prevalence (38.3%). Among individual LMICs, the prevalence of SMA among university students varied from as low as 11.1% in Brazil to 90.7% in Congo. Conclusions: The practice of SMA is a widespread phenomenon among university students in LMICs and is frequently associated with inappropriate use. Effective interventions such as medication education and stricter governmental regulation concerning antibiotic use and sale are required to be established in order to deal with SMA properly.
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spelling doaj-art-22e5e0978d0547149f5607dd97fd13be2025-08-20T03:52:43ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802019-08-01130810.3855/jidc.11359Self-Medication with Antibiotics among University Students in LMIC: A systematic review and meta-analysisRixiang Xu0Tingyu Mu1Guan Wang2Jing Shi3Xin Wang4Xiaoli Ni5School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, ChinaSchool of Nursing, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310013, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, ChinaSchool of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, China Introduction: Self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) is common among university students in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there has been no meta-analysis and systematic review in the population. Methodology: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase and Web of Science for the period from January 2000 to July 2018. Only observational studies that had SMA among university students from LMICs were included. A random-effects model was applied to calculate the pooled effect size with 95% confidence interval (CI) due to the expected heterogeneity (I2 over 50%). Results: The pooled prevalence of SMA of overall included studies was 46.0% (95% CI: 40.3% to 51.8%). Africa had the highest pooled prevalence of SMA among university students (55.30%), whereas South America had the lowest prevalence (38.3%). Among individual LMICs, the prevalence of SMA among university students varied from as low as 11.1% in Brazil to 90.7% in Congo. Conclusions: The practice of SMA is a widespread phenomenon among university students in LMICs and is frequently associated with inappropriate use. Effective interventions such as medication education and stricter governmental regulation concerning antibiotic use and sale are required to be established in order to deal with SMA properly. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11359AntibioticsSelf-medicationUniversity students
spellingShingle Rixiang Xu
Tingyu Mu
Guan Wang
Jing Shi
Xin Wang
Xiaoli Ni
Self-Medication with Antibiotics among University Students in LMIC: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Antibiotics
Self-medication
University students
title Self-Medication with Antibiotics among University Students in LMIC: A systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full Self-Medication with Antibiotics among University Students in LMIC: A systematic review and meta-analysis
title_fullStr Self-Medication with Antibiotics among University Students in LMIC: A systematic review and meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Self-Medication with Antibiotics among University Students in LMIC: A systematic review and meta-analysis
title_short Self-Medication with Antibiotics among University Students in LMIC: A systematic review and meta-analysis
title_sort self medication with antibiotics among university students in lmic a systematic review and meta analysis
topic Antibiotics
Self-medication
University students
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/11359
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AT guanwang selfmedicationwithantibioticsamonguniversitystudentsinlmicasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT jingshi selfmedicationwithantibioticsamonguniversitystudentsinlmicasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT xinwang selfmedicationwithantibioticsamonguniversitystudentsinlmicasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
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