Prevalence of non-medical use of opioids among market women in Ibadan, Nigeria

Empirical studies indicate that one in every four drug users in Nigeria is a woman. Increasing economic burden has necessitated women working outside the home in low-income petty trading. Anecdotal observations reveal that market women who own stalls and peddle their wares at local markets are a group vulnerable to the non-medical use of opioids. The aim of the study was to examine the lived experience of market women, including with regard to knowledge, drug use and misuse and social networking related to the non-medical use of prescription opioids, in Ibadan, a large city in Nigeria. A total of 181 purposively sampled women took part in the study. Qualitative and quantitative methods, by means of focus group discussions and structured self-administered questionnaires, respectively, were employed to collect data. Findings indicate that there is general knowledge about pharmaceutical and local opioids among market women. However, the type of trade was a factor in knowledge of and experience with specific types of opioids. In particular, liquor sellers were more conversant with the different types of opioids, such as tramadol and codeine, than women trading in other goods. A large number of participants admitted to using tramadol, but use was mostly restricted to the relief of body pain and ache arising from the stress of their trade.

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