Determination of health facility and community related factors contributing to increased misuse of analgesics among adults in Kiyunga HC IV, Kiyunga town council, Luuka district. A cross sectional study.

Abstract

Background

The misuse of analgesics is an escalating public health issue, resulting in significant negative health outcomes. Both health facility and community-related factors play critical roles in this misuse. Therefore, this study seeks to assess the health facility and community related factors contributing to increased misuse of analgesics among adults in Kiyunga HC IV, Kiyunga town council, Luuka district.

Methodology

The study used a cross-sectional study with simple random technique as a sampling technique on a sample of 50 respondents. Data was collected using questionnaires with semi structured and open-ended questions written in English language, data was analyzed manually, presented in a Microsoft computer program to generate figures and tables.

Results

Health facility related factors contributing to increased misuse of analgesics among adults showed that 64% of respondents had noticed misuse of analgesics with majority of users (46.9%) using them for provision of sleep and control of emotions. Most commonly misused analgesic was paracetamol (65.6%). 46.9% of respondents had noticed misuse of analgesics suggested that strict supervision of dispensing places could be used to control misuse of analgesics.  

Community related factors contributing to increased misuse of analgesics among adults indicated that 70% of respondents were aware of misuse of which 60% of these were attributed to peer pressure. 42.9% of respondents that were aware of misuse identified health complications as a danger of the misuse.

Conclusion

Study highlights significant misuse of analgesics due to both health facility and community-related factors, with paracetamol being the most misused, driven by need for sleep and emotional control, peer pressure, and leading to recognized health complications.

Recommendation

Health facilities such as hospitals, clinics, dispensing centers need to be widely placed to ensure good health services are delivered to people.