TITLE:
Socio-Economic and Perceptual Determinants of Street Medicine Use in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo—January 2024
AUTHORS:
Arsène Constant Gongault Bany, Gilbert Ndziessi, Ange Clauvel Niama, Yambaré Anki, Ange Antoine Abena, Wilfrid Sylvain Nambei
KEYWORDS:
Street Medicines, Socio-Economic Factors, Brazzaville
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.17 No.9,
September
25,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: The widespread use of street medicines (SM) represents a significant public health concern across Africa. This study aimed to identify the socio-demographic, economic, and perceptual factors associated with SM use in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in January 2024, involving 734 individuals across 720 households in Brazzaville. Data were collected using a structured, pre-tested questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were used to explore associations. Analyses were conducted using R software version 4.4.1, with significance set at p Results: Of all respondents, 88.4% reported using SM. Use was significantly higher among individuals aged 50 and above (60.4%, p Conclusion: Street medicine use in Brazzaville is widespread and associated with age, gender, income, occupation, residential area, and perception. Urgent measures are needed to improve drug regulation and healthcare access.