Background Self-medication with antibiotics has become an important factor driving antibiotic resistance and it masks the signs and symptoms of the underlying disease and hence complicates the problem, increasing drug resistance and delaying diagnosis. This study aimed to assess the extent of self-medication practice with antibiotics and its associated factors among adult patients attending outpatient departments (OPD) at selected public Hospitals, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods Facility-based cross-sectional study was employed. A systematic random sampling technique was used to include the study participants. Self-administered with structured questionnaires were applied among patients who visited outpatient departments at selected public Hospitals, in Addis Ababa. Data were entered into Epi-data version 4.6 and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used for the present categorical data. The data are presented in pie charts, tables, and bar graphs. Furthermore, bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify significant associations. Statistical significance was declared at p value < 0.05. Results Out of 421 respondents interviewed, 403 (95.7%) participants completed questionnaires. Among the respondents, 71% had generally practiced self-medication. Among these, 48.3% had self-medication with antibiotics, while 51.7% had used other drugs. The most commonly cited indication for self-medication practice was abdominal pain 44.9%, followed by Sore throat 21% commonly used antibiotics are amoxicillin (57%), ciprofloxacin (13%), amoxicillin/clavulanic (10%), erythromycin (8%), cotrimoxazole (7%), and doxycycline (5%). Conclusions Self-medication with antibiotics was common among the study participants. The prevalence of general self-medication was 71%, whereas that of self-medication with antibiotics was 48.3%. In general, the potentially dangerous effects of SMP seem to be underestimated by patients with OPD patients.

Background Antiretroviral therapy (ART) refers to any HIV treatment that uses a combination of two or more drugs to suppress viral load and preserve immunofunction. Despite the success of ART, adverse events persist, in particular in patients with baseline viral loads >100,000 copies/mL. Apart from premarketing surveillance, the safety and risk profile of dolutegravir has not been thoroughly researched in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and patterns of adverse drug events among HIV-infected adult patients on dolutegravir-based ART regimens at Amhara comprehensive specialized hospitals, northwest Ethiopia. Methods A retrospective follow-up study was conducted from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021 at Amhara comprehensive specialized hospitals, with a sample size of 423. Simple random sampling was employed and data collected using kobo tool box software by four trained BSc nurses from March to April, 2022. SPSS 25 was used for analysis. Descriptive summary statistics are used and data presented using tables and text. Results A total of 372 patient charts were included in the final analysis, and the prevalence of adverse events associated with dolutegravir was found to be 37.6% (95% CI 32.1%–42.1%). Nearly two-thirds (60.7%) of the participants had neuropsychiatric symptoms, followed by gastrointestinal symptoms (23.6%) and hepatic problems (7.14%). All recorded adverse events were mild. Conclusion Dolutegravir adverse events were relatively low compared to previous studies. Common adverse events reported were neuropsychiatric symptoms and gastrointestinal symptoms, followed by hepatic and renal events. All adverse events were mild and none was severe or life-threatening events. Therefore, we recommend the use of dolutegravir in clinical settings.