Prevalence and Factors Associated with Self-Medication in Dermatology in Togo

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with self-medication in dermatology in Lomé, Togo. METHODS: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study from February to April 2016 in 2 dermatology departments in Lomé. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were carried out to identify possible factors associated with self-medication. RESULTS: A total of 711 patients were included in the study. The mean age (±SD) of the patients was 26.6 ± 6.9 years and the sex ratio (male/female) was 0.6. The main dermatologic diseases recorded were immunoallergic dermatoses (39.7%) and infectious skin diseases (22.6%). Two-thirds (481/711; 66.7%) of the patients had practiced self-medication before consultation in dermatology units. In multivariate analysis, factors associated with self-medication were female sex (aOR = 1.44; 95% CI = [1.01, 2.05]), duration of dermatologic disease more than one year (aOR = 1.79; IC = [1.19, 2.68]), adnexal dermatoses (aOR = 2.31; 95% IC = [1.03–5.21]), keratinization disorders (aOR = 4.23; 95% CI = [1.36–13.13]), and fungal skin infections (aOR = 5.43; 95% CI = [2.20, 13.38]). CONCLUSION: Our study confirms that self-medication practice is very common among patients with dermatologic diseases in Lomé and has identified associated factors.