Table 2 Common illnesses, medications used, reason for self -medication and recall period systemic review and meta-analysis among university students in Ethiopia

Abay and Amelo [29]

Fever and headache (25.8%)

Cough and common cold (23.9%)

Gastric pain (13.2%)

Diarrhea (8.9%)

Fever and chills (6.1%)

Cough and chest pain (6.1%)

Constipation (5.6%)

Eye disease (3.8%)

Other (stress, fatigue, loss of appetite) (6.5%)

Analgesics constituting (24.4%)

Antibiotics (4.8%)

Antimalarial (3.7%)

NR

2 months

Dessalegn and Gashaw [38]

NR

Antibiotics (59.9%)

Analgesics or antipyretics (47.8%)

Gastrointestinal drugs (28.8%)

Respiratory tract infection drugs (24.7%), vitamins (22.1%)

ORS (16.75)

NR

6 months

Shimelis [30]

Headache/fever (56.5%)

Gastrointestinal disease (34.1%)

Respiratory tract infection (31.8%)

Eye disease (22.4%)

Skin diseases or injury (17.45)

Sexually transmitted disease (10.4%)

Maternal/menstrual (29.2%)

NR

Disease is not serious (44.1%)

Poor quality of service (27.1%)

Emergency use (24.7%)

Prior experience (23.4%)

Took pharmacology course (21.1%)

Saves time (20.3%)

Less expensive (19.4%)

3 months

Tadele [24]

Cough common cold (43.85)

Headache (34.8%)

Abdominal pain (32.1%)

Fever (24.1%)

Diarrhea (19.6%)

Eye infection (15.2)

Nasal congestion (14.3)

Tooth ache (12.55)

Sore throat (12.5%)

Others (17.9%)

Analgesics (44.4%)

Antibiotics (42.7%)

Topical applications (antifungal, anti-microbial, antihistamines and analgesics) (15.3%)

Corticosteroids (9.7%)

Others (3.6%)

Prior experience (69.6%),

Minor illness (43.8%),

Avoiding waiting time (36.6%),

Cost-effectiveness (32. 1%),

Others (21.4%)

3 months

Abebe [27]

Pain (head, body, tooth 60 (41%)

Diarrhea 24 (16.4%)

Fever 17 (11.6%)

Nausea and vomiting 14 (9.6%)

Dysmenorrhea 11 (7.5%), 10 (6.8%)

Cough and itching 10 (6.8%)

Analgesics (52.7%)

Antifungals (2.1%)

NR

Dessalegn [31]

Headache (69.1%)

Common cold (15.9%)

Fever (15.9%)

Abdominal discomfort (15.1%)

Appetite loss (7.9%)

Nausea and vomiting (7.1%)

Heart burn/gastritis (6.3%)

Diarrhea (5.6%)

Impotence (5.6%)

Contraception (4.8%)

Eye disease (4%)

Skin condition (0.8%)

Analgesics (53.2%)

Antimicrobials (39.7%)

Antacids (10.3%)

Vitamins (8.7%)

Mildness of the disease (32.5%)

Suggestions of friends (26.2%)

Inexpensiveness of the practice (25.4%)

Previous experience (19.8%)

Do not trust health professionals (15.9%)

Obtaining drugs easily (15.9%)

Being embarrassed to talk about disease (7.9%)

Long waiting time (7.1%)

Long distance from health facility (3.2%)

Can afford cost of drugs (2.4%)

6 months

Alemseged [36]

Fever and headache (69.3%)

Gastric pain (67.5%)

Cough and common cold (46.3%)

Cough and chest pain (46%)

Constipation (30%)

Vomiting and diarrhea (29.5%)

Fever and chills (23.8%)

Skin symptoms (15.8%)

Ear symptoms (15.5%)

Others (7%)

Paracetamol (92%)

Antacid (71.8%)

Antibiotics (66.8%)

NSAIDS (46.8%)

Vitamins (285)

Non-seriousness of illness (81.3%)

Quick relief (70.3%)

Emergency use (45.8%)

Prior experience (38.5%)

NR

Girma [37]

Headache or mild pain (47.3%)

GI problems (30.8%)

Eye and ear symptoms (29.1%)

Vomiting (6.3%)

Antibiotic (47%)

Pain killer (37%)

Vitamins and minerals (10%)

Other (2%)

Prior experience (39.10%)

Mildness of illness (37.5%)

Long waiting time (15.63%)

Less costly (4.69%)

Lack of interest in medical service (1.56%)

Others (4.69%)

NR

Mulugeta and Nasir [35]

Headache 35 (36.85%)

Abdominal pain 29 (30.55%)

Cough 33 (23.16%)

Fever (6.32%)

Other (3.12%)

Analgesics 40 (49.38%)

Antibiotics 29 (35.80%)

Illness (46.32%)

Minor illness (25.26%)

Time saving (24.16%)

Low cost (4.21%)

NR

Abebe et al. [32]

Headache (32.1%)

Abdominal pain (22.6%)

Common cold (19.7%)

Fever (15.8%)

Cough (12.4%)

Diarrhea (9.4%)

Gastritis (6.8%)

Skin problem (5.6%)

Dysmenorrhea (4.3%)

Others (3.9%)

NR

The similarity of illness with previous illness (38.9%)

Disease not serious (24.4%)

Easily obtaining drugs (17.1%)

Friends’ suggestion (12.8%)

Self-medication being cheaper (12.4%)

Long waiting time in health service (9.8%)

Long distance to the health facility (9.4%)

Being embarrassed to talk about the disease (8.1%)

Affordability of the cost of drugs (6.0%)

Not trusting health professionals (4.3%)

Others (3.4%)

NR

Zelalem et al. [33]

Headache (42.7%)

Cough and common cold (21.1%)

Pain (epigastric, tooth, body) (21.1%)

Diarrhea (6.1%)

Dysmenorrhea (3.4%)

Other medical conditions ∗ (5.3%)

Analgesics (58.5%)

Antacids (3.8%)

Antispasmodics (9.1%)

Antibiotics (26.5%)

Others (2.3%)

Shortage of money (19.6%)

Shortage of time (4.9%)

Do not like visiting and getting checked up (10.2%)

Mildness of illness (24.5%)

An already known disease (39.6%)

Other reasons (1.1%)

NR

Segenet et al. [34]

Headache (47.9%)

GI infection (44.31%)

Respiratory tract infection (28.74%)

Pain (9.58%)

Malaria (7.1%)

Skin disease (3.59%)

Eye disease (3.59%)

Others (2.39%)

Analgesics (56.28%)

Antibiotics (35.9%)

GIT drugs (13.1%)

Antimalarial drugs (7.18%)

Anthelmintic drugs (6.58%)

Anti-inflammatory drugs (4.19%)

Supplements (4.19%)

Mildness of the illness (34.13%)

Dissatisfaction with health-care service (26.34%)

Familiarity with medicines and ailments (11.97%)

Sufficient knowledge about medications (9.58%)

Needed quick relief (9.58%)

To save money (5.38%)

To save time (2.99%)

Other (2.99%)

NR

Nuhamin et al. [28]

Headache (86.5%)

Respiratory tract infection (53%)

Gastrointestinal disease (47.9%)

Fever (38.7%)

Eye disease (19.7%)

Skin disease (18.3%)

Maternal (19.5%)

Others (1.2%)

Analgesic/antipyretic (71.8%)

Antimicrobial (57.3%)

Respiratory drugs (32.7%)

Gastrointestinal drugs (29.1%)

Vitamins (12%)

Oral rehydration salt (7.9%)

Others (1.4%)

Disease is not serious (76.1%)

Emergency use (59%)

Prior experience about the drug (own and/or friends, read about it, etc.) (25.3%)

Less expensive in terms of time/money (25.3%)

For prevention of known/unknown disease(s) (20.3%)

NR