Globally, more than 50% of all medicines are prescribed, dispensed or sold inappropriately. Unnecessary overuse of medicine can stimulate inappropriate patients’ demand and lead to medicine stock out and loss of patient’s confidence in the health system. The study seeks to investigate medicine use and medication related problems among undergraduate students in Nigeria universities. The study adopted Social action theory, in order to understand actor’s motives and belief and their own interpretation of medicine. A descriptive research design was employed for the study, using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The sample size was collected through random purposive technique and a total of 202 questionnaires were distributed to students of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti and all the questionnaires were retrieved and used for the analysis. Also, 16 In-depth Interviews were conducted with male and female respondents and content analysis was employed for qualitative data. Findings showed that over half (60%)of the sample population, use medicine only when their health condition is getting worse because they had medication related problems the last time the used medicine. Consequently, the conclusions were drawn from the findings extracted from real life experiences rather than on assumptions or theoretical ideas. It was discovered that, majority of the students, discontinued the use of medicine, the last time they had medication related problems. Comparatively, a high proportion of the respondents’ believed that drugs produced in Europe are of better quality compare to that of Africa and also they hate complaining to the physician about their health. Health workers and policy makers should increase the awareness appropriate medicine use and the consequences of inappropriate use of medicine.
Keywords: Medication, Medicine, Nigeria, Undergraduate, University
