Promoting Healthy Reading Strategies as a Self-Care Alternative to Self-Medication among University Students in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Healthy reading habits can improve concentration, critical thinking, information retention, and educational success skills. However, the lack of it among university students often leads to immense academic demands and pressures, particularly during examinations. This could result in self-medication and nonmedical use of drugs to cope with pressure and could negatively affect their physical and mental health, well-being, as well as academic performance. There is also the risk of the long-term effects of medication dependence, addiction, and decreased cognitive function. Therefore, establishing healthy reading habits is essential to student self-care and holistic well-being. This study used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), guidelines, and protocols to review published data between 2010 and 2024 from Sage Journals, African Journal Online, ProQuest Dissertations, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Twelve selected articles were thematically analysed, and social cognitive theoretical lenses guided interpretation and analysis. The review revealed the prevalence of medication misuse among university students, risk factors for drug misuse, interventions to reduce medication misuse, and the role of policymaking in supporting drug misuse among university students. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to address self-medication and promote healthy reading habits and students’ well-being.