SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC PREDICTORS OF SELF-MEDICATION PRACTICES AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN ISOKO SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, DELTA STATE

Every day, all over the world, pregnant women act on their health conditions without consulting qualified health personnel. Thus, this study sought to examine the relationship between sociodemographic predictors and self-medication among pregnant women in Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among 248 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in selected communities utilizing multiple sampling procedures. Quantitative data were collected through structured self-administered questionnaire and analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Among the respondents 56.5% (n=140) were single, with a mean age of 30.6 years, indicating that majority of the respondents were young women in their active reproductive age, and a notable 61.7% (n=153) engaged in self-medication practices. Results of the Chi-square (χ²) tests at 0.05 significance threshold, revealed a significant relationship between age, education level and self-medication practices and no significant relationship between marital status and self-medication practices among pregnant women in Isoko South Local Government Area. Based on the findings, actionable recommendations such as health education and awareness campaigns, and community support systems strengthening are made to address the underlying sociodemographic predictors of self-medication to promote safe maternal healthcare practices for pregnant women in the study area.