Prevalence and Factors Associated With the Informal Market for Medicines in Benin: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional...

Medicines are intended to improve the health of individuals with various medical conditions, but their poor-quality poses significant risks, especially in low- and middle-income countries like Benin, where informally sold medicines are widely consumed. This study assessed the prevalence and factors associated with their consumption in Benin.

Conducted in 2018 across 72 districts of Cotonou, it targeted 864 households. Data collected included the consumption of these medicines, along with sociodemographic and socioeconomic information, as well as medicine-related practices such as purchasing habits, self-medication, medical consultation, access to the informal market, awareness of risks, and reasons for consumption.

The results revealed a pattern of multiple-source medicine procurement, with 25.5% (95% CI: 22.5%-28.5%) of individuals reporting the use of informally sold medicines, despite 83.84% of households obtaining medicines from pharmacies and a health service utilization rate of 58.1%. Factors associated with informal medicine consumption included a lack of awareness of the risks (PR = 2.31; 95% CI: 1.57-3.40; p < 0.001), exposure to malaria or pains (PR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.04-3.94; p = 0.04), self-medication (PR = 95.02; 95% CI: 25.57-353.15; p < 0.001), frequent purchases (PR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.16-3.10; p = 0.01), irregular medicine availability in pharmacies (PR = 3.42; 95% CI: 2.26-5.16; p < 0.001), and other sources purchases (PR = 15.21; 95% CI: 7.52-30.78; p < 0.001).

Informal medicine use remains prevalent in Benin and is significantly driven by lack of awareness, exposure to malaria or pains, self-medication, frequent purchases, irregular medicine availability, and infrequent pharmacies use. Addressing this issue requires strategic interventions such as raising public awareness and improving availability and access to quality medicines through authorized facilities.