Risk Perception of Paracetamol Use among Undergraduate Students of University of Jos

Abstract

The literature is replete with studies on prevalence of paracetamol abuse; however, a paucity of literature on risk perception of paracetamol use especially in Nigeria was discovered by the researcher. This study describes the risk perception of paracetamol use among undergraduate students of the University of Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria. A descriptive research design was used in this study. Recruitment was done by simple random sampling technique and a close-ended questionnaire was employed in collecting the desired data. Frequency distribution tables and percentages were used to present and analyze the data generated while chi-square was used to test the null hypothesis. Almost all participants, 93.1% had taken paracetamol in their lifetime. Also, 63.6% of participants said paracetamol is very easy to get and most of them (49.7%) had taken paracetamol on 40 or more occasions indicating high prevalence of paracetamol use among them. More than half, 53.6% of participants do not believe self-medication with paracetamol can harm them. Only 34.9% of respondents knew the normal maximum daily dose of paracetamol. Also, only 39.5% of participants knew that combining paracetamol with procold is harmful. Just 25.1% respondents read the patient information leaflet always before taking paracetamol. Most of them, 73.6% knew that combining paracetamol intake with alcohol can cause liver failure; however only 23.1% of them knew that people with liver diseases are not to take paracetamol. A significant relationship existed between courses of study of students and risk perception of paracetamol use. The participants showed poor risk perception of paracetamol use. It was recommended that the federal ministry of health should intensify awareness campaign through the mass media and outreach program to educate the masses on the adverse effects of paracetamol use.

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“…They concluded that only 12.3% were knowledgeable about the toxic dose and adverse effects of paracetamol [43] . Our results also agree with Ejeikwu and Folashade (2019) study who declared that 53.6% of the studied undergraduate students at the University of Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria do not consider paracetamol self-administration harmful [41] . Another study on 400 consumers at Malaysia showed that 69.1% consider paracetamol a safe drug [44] .…”

“…This explanation also agrees with our results that many of our participants were also not knowledgeable about the cautious administration of paracetamol with other drugs. Such results agree with Ejeikwu and Folashade (2019) study on undergraduate students at University of Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria about the risk perception of paracetamol use where only 39.5% considered intake of paracetamol with “Procold” harmful [41] . Such results indicate that patients aren't always interested in identifying the active ingredients of drugs.…”

“…On the other hand, Hornsby et al (2010) study concluded that one-half of their research participants recognized liver damage as the primary toxicity [38] . Ejeikwu and Folashade (2019) study results also showed that most of the studied undergraduate students at the University of Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria (60.8%) answered appropriately as to whether paracetamol overdose can cause acute liver failure [41] . Our results could be explained by the misbelief that paracetamol is harmless.…”

“…Our results could be explained by the misbelief that paracetamol is harmless. Moreover, lay people may be uninterested in reading the drug's leaflet which declares the risk of liver damage in cases of overdosage [15] , [41] .…”

“…Moreover, Dorji et al [51] study among 441 out‑patients in a Bhutanese district hospital bordering India showed poor knowledge about safe use of paracetamol [51] . The poor knowledge on paracetamol safe usage and its related toxicities could result from the easy availability of paracetamol as an OTC drug, thus the public underestimate its potential toxicities [41] .…”