Patients’ Attitudes on Medication Use: a Survey From a Primary Healthcare Centre in Alexandria, Egypt

Abstract

Background/aim: In Egypt, irrational medication use is a community concern. This study examines patients’ attitudes regarding medication use to promote rational medication use. Materials and methods: In April 2019, A cross-sectional study involved a total of 72 patients attending a primary health care centre in Alexandria who responded to a face-to-face questionnaire. Results: The respondents’ mean age was 44.94 years and 56.94% of them were females. 77.78% of the respondents stated that when they get sick, they seek medications from the pharmacy without consulting a physician. Moreover, 52.78% of the respondents reported that their relatives recommend medications for them while 48.61% of them recommended medications themselves for their sick relatives. Additionally, 66.67% of the respondents stated that they stopped their medications prior to their physicians’ recommended time and 61.11% of them admitted keeping unused medications at home. 73.61% of the respondents reported reading medication’s prospectus and 75% of them checked the medications’ expiry date before using them. The attitudes of patients’ regarding medication use demonstrated non-significant differences with respect to gender. Conclusion: According to this study, patients’ attitudes concerning medication use were found far from rational. Most study respondents practised self-prescription where they acquired medicines based on previous experience, recommending them to others or getting advice from non-professionals. Furthermore, most of the participants stopped taking their medicines when they felt better while keeping them for future use. Eventually, convinced attitudes can add to health hazards, needless consumption or spending. Therefore, Community awareness of rational medication use can minimize the found irrational use.