Evidence of factors influencing self-medication with antibiotics in low and middle-income countries: a systematic scoping review

•Self-medication with antibiotics as an unsuitable way of using antibiotics and a common practice highly prevalent in resource-constrained countries that constantly exposes individuals to the appalling risk of developing antimicrobial resistance and side effects.•A review on the factors influencing the practice of self-medication with antibiotics in resource constraint settings is valuable to map evidence, identify research gaps, guide future research and develop evidence-based strategies to promote suitable use of antibiotics.•The review identified considerable research evidence of the complexity of factors influencing the practices of self-medication with antibiotics in some resource constraint settings, but less is known from most of the Sub-Saharan African countries.•Comprehensive and contextual studies on the utilization of antibiotics are needed to support the development of evidence-based approaches and promote the correct utilization of antibiotics in low and middle-income countries.