{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]],"date-time":"2026-07-06T18:15:36Z","timestamp":1783361736763,"version":"3.54.6"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]],"date-time":"2026-07-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783296000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The issue of self-medication with anti-malarial drugs is a critical public health challenge. Despite national guidelines promoting diagnostic-confirmed treatment, evidence addressing the prevalence of self-medication with anti-malarial drugs and drivers in Ethiopia is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to bridge this gap and to provide meaningful insights into ongoing efforts to curb the misuse of anti-malarial drugs and helping the strategy of malaria eliminationby investigating the prevalence of self-medication with anti-malaria drugs and its associated factors.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Dera District, Northwest Ethiopia, from June 1\u201330, 2025. A total of 591 febrile patients were selected using a stratified multistage sampling technique. Data were collected through interviewer-administered structured questionnaires developed by reviewing different related literatures. Data entry and analysis were done using Epi-Data version 4.6 and STATA 17. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with self-medication. Statistical significance was declared at a p-value less than 0.05.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Result<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The prevalence of self-medication with anti-malarial drugs was 42.8% (95% CI: 38.9%\u201346.8%). Factors positively associated with self-medication included: monthly income of \u22655000 ETB (AOR\u2009=\u20091.64, 95% CI: 1.04\u20132.59), poor knowledge about malaria (AOR\u2009=\u20091.68, 95% CI: 1.12\u20132.55), poor risk perception towards self-medication (AOR\u2009=\u20092.10, 95% CI: 1.40\u20133.14), and distance \u22645 km from private drug sellers (AOR\u2009=\u20091.65, 95% CI: 1.10\u20132.47). Community-based health insurance membership was negatively associated with self-medication (AOR\u2009=\u20090.60, 95% CI: 0.41\u20130.88).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Self-medication with anti-malarial drugs was moderate (33.4%_66.6%) in the study area based on percentile classification. The findings highlighted the need for designing different strategies to reduce inappropriate drug use and promoting community-based health insurance enrollment.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0352762","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]],"date-time":"2026-07-06T17:29:57Z","timestamp":1783358997000},"page":"e0352762","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Self-medication practice with anti-malarial drugs and its associated factors among patients with fever attending public health facilities in Dera District, Northwest Ethiopia"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0556-1512","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Wondimnew Desalegn","family":"Addis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6616-6239","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Agmas Wassie","family":"Abate","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Negede Yiheyis","family":"Tasew","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amare Yirga","family":"Abate","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Belete Asnake","family":"Sitotaw","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abay Semagn","family":"Kassie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elelta Mulugeta","family":"Ayalew","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3385-7361","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Birhanemaskal","family":"Malkamu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kindie","family":"Mitiku","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0352762.ref001","volume-title":"WHO guidelines for malaria","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2023"},{"key":"pone.0352762.ref002","volume-title":"WHO guidelines for malaria","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2022"},{"key":"pone.0352762.ref003","volume-title":"World malaria report 2023","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2023"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0352762.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"432","DOI":"10.1097\/MS9.0000000000002799","article-title":"Supporting health systems of Ethiopia in the battle against malaria: a call for action","volume":"87","author":"A Akilimali","year":"2025","journal-title":"Ann Med Surg (Lond)"},{"key":"pone.0352762.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20420986221127501","DOI":"10.1177\/20420986221127501","article-title":"Definition of self-medication: a scoping review","volume":"13","author":"D Baracaldo-Santamar\u00eda","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ther Adv Drug Saf"},{"key":"pone.0352762.ref006","volume-title":"WHO guideline on self-care interventions for health and well-being, 2022 revision","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2022"},{"key":"pone.0352762.ref007","volume-title":"Global malaria programme operational strategy 2024-2030","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2024"},{"key":"pone.0352762.ref008","article-title":"Determinants of self-treatment with antimalarials in Ndola district, Zambia: a cross-sectional study","author":"NG Susiku","year":"2024","journal-title":"medRxiv"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0352762.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1093\/trstmh\/try138","article-title":"Self-medication with non-prescribed pharmaceutical agents in an area of low malaria transmission in northern Tanzania: a community-based survey","volume":"113","author":"JT Hertz","year":"2019","journal-title":"Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0352762.ref010","article-title":"Self-treatment practices for perceived symptoms of Malaria in Ethiopia","volume":"12","author":"V Kovalev","year":"2020","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"pone.0352762.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3389\/fmala.2025.1492444","article-title":"Can Ethiopia eliminate malaria? 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