This study assesses the overall drug use patternrn(with and without prescription) in an Addis Ababarncommunity, potential drug sources, factors associatedrnwith increased drug consumption and purchasing followingrnan illness episode. It employed a cross-sectionalrncommunity-based survey of a sample of 1185 households,rnselected randomly from the source population of all 23rnkebeles of the previous Yeka District of Addis Ababa. Arnstructured questionnaire was developed, pretested andrnimplemented for the purpose of the survey.rnThe study showed that 85.2% of the studied samplernpopulation took somekind of drug (prescr ibed or nonprescribed)rnand 14.8% did nothing following an illnessrnduring the four week study period.rnDrug users and nonusers were compared with respectrnto demographic and socio-economic variables. The usernwas higher among children less than 5 years of age, inrnhigh income groups, and among those with higher averagernhaelth care expenditure per episode. There was no sexrndifference observed in relation to drug taking with orrnwithout prescription. 86.9% and 84.1% of males andrnfemales, respectively, took drugs. Of these drug users,rn95.5% took them with prescription and 4.5% without.It isrnbelieved that the high use rate of drug taking andrnviirnspesifically drugs with prescription following an illnessrnin the district might be explaind with the burden ofrnmorbidity in the district.