Self-medication and antibiotic use among the deaf in Ghana’s Ashanti Region: a cross-sectional study of knowledge, practices, perceptions, and predictors

Abstract

Self-medication and antibiotic misuse are major drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), yet evidence is scarce for people with disabilities, especially the Deaf community. Communication barrier and restricted access to health information may heighten vulnerability to inappropriate medication practices among the Deaf population. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 327 Deaf adults aged ≥ 18 years in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. Participants were recruited using multistage purposive and snowball sampling from Deaf institutions and community networks. Data were collected via structured questionnaires administered through Ghanaian Sign Language (GSL)-assisted interviews. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were conducted using IBM SPSS v25. Self-medication prevalence was 57.5% ( n = 188/327); antibiotic self-medication was reported by 49.8% ( n = 163) of respondents. Amoxicillin was the dominant antibiotic (96.3% of cases; 55.1% of total responses), followed by metronidazole (36.2%) and co-amoxiclav (28.8%). Only 59.9% of participants demonstrated basic antibiotic awareness, and widespread misconceptions persisted. Attitude toward antibiotics (OR = 5.68, 95% CI: 2.07–15.60, p = 0.001) and higher education level (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.19–2.13, p = 0.002) were independent predictors of self-medication. Gender, age, and health insurance were non-significant in multivariate analysis. Self-medication and antibiotic misuse are highly prevalent among Deaf adults in the Ashanti Region and are associated with attitudes and reported communication barriers, while most demographic characteristics were not significant in the multivariable model. Inclusive antibiotic stewardship interventions in GSL, regulatory enforcement, and healthcare system reform are urgently needed.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. BMC Public Health, 2026 · DOI ↗