Medicines For Self-medication Research Articles

Assessment of students’ pharmacist competency in dispensing cough medicines for self-medication: a simulated patient study

Background Cough is a symptom for which patients present to community pharmacists for relief. As future pharmacists, pharmacy students must be evaluated for their competence in providing self-medication services. Aims To measure the Indian pharmacy students’ capability (competency) in delivering self-medication consultation service (SMCS) to simulated cough patients and to identify the factors associated with the provision of appropriate advice. Settings and design A prospective, interventional, cross-sectional study using a simulated patient method describing the product and symptom-based request of chronic cough was used on students from a pharmacy school in India. The type and quantity of information gathered and advice delivered by student pharmacists were recorded. Materials and methods The data collected before and after pharmacy students received SMCS training were summarized. Statistical analysis used A descriptive-statistics was performed to identify the factors associated with the provision of advice. Result Participated students gathered information from simulated patients before providing advice to them. Direct medical referral which is considered optimized advice was provided by 46.7% and 91.1% of the 90 participants, before and after receiving self-medication consultation training (SMCT), respectively. Participants who gathered information on the duration and the nature of cough, past medical conditions, and medication use were positively associated with the delivery of optimum recommendations. Conclusion After receiving SMCT, pharmacy students’ competency to provide SMCS improved. Future studies are required to determine the elements that influence pharmacy students’ competence in providing SMCS.

Hubungan Pengetahuan Dan Sikap Terhadap Obat Tradisional Dan Obat Modern Dengan Tindakan Pemilihan Obat Untuk Swamedikasi Di Kalangan Masyarakat Kecamatan Gondang Kabupaten Sragen

Self-medication or self-medication is a treatment carried out by people who suffer from minor ailments that do not have to go to the doctor and do not have to buy drugs with a doctor's prescription. This study aims to analyze the relationship between knowledge and attitude in the selection of drugs for self-medication in the Gondang community, Sragen. The sample of this study consisted of people from Gondang District aged 18–75 years. Data analysis used the Chi-square test. The participation rate of respondents was 95%, namely 381 respondents. 48.56% of respondents had a moderate level of knowledge, 80.05% had a positive attitude towards the use of traditional medicines, and 70.34% of respondents had the act of choosing traditional medicines for self-medication. Theresults of the evaluation test using chi-square obtained a p value value of 0.001 < 0.05 which means that there is a significant relationship with knowledge of traditional medicine selection actions. As for the results of evaluation tests using chi-square knowledge of modern drug selection actions, p values of 0.027 < 0.05 were obtained, which means there is a significant relationship. The results of the evaluation test using chi-square attitude towards traditional medicine selection actions obtained pvalues of 0.546 > 0.05 which means there is no significant relationship. While the results of evaluation tests using chi-square attitudes towards modern drug selection actions obtained p value values of 0.345 > 0.05 which means there is no significant relationship.

P144 Self-medication and use of complementary and alternative medicines in cystic fibrosis – MUCAUTOMED study

Many cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are treated with CFTR modulators, proved to be highly effective but involved in many drug interactions. Recently, physicians and pharmacists have been more often questioned by patients and prescribers about drug interactions risks with self-medication medicines or complementary and alternative medicine products (CAMp). The aim of this study was to describe and measure the prevalence of self-medication and CAMp use by CF patients at Toulouse University Hospital (France).

Self-medication's knowledge and practice in adults attending pharmacies in Tripoli, Libya

Self-medication is a widespread practice that may contribute to the antibiotic resistance of human pathogens. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of self-medication among Libyan patients in Tripoli city. This descriptive, questionnaire- based cross-sectional study was conducted from August to October 2022 among Libyan patients in Tripoli city. The questionnaire was compromising from 13 questions. Three questions were dedicated to the general demographics and the next 10 questions were based on self-medication of drugs for the prevention and treatment of respiratory symptoms. All these questions if answered as a "No" was considered as self-medication. Among 214 participants, 176 (82%) were found to have practiced self-medication; 38.3% of them were aged less than 25 years, the majority being males (60.7%). Lack of time and feeling confidence with self-medication practice were the most common reasons cited behind practicing self-medication. Pain suppressing medications were the most selfmedicated drugs by 55.68%. Pharmacies (67.05%) were the commonest source regarding medicines for self-medication. The higher educated tended to self-medicate more than those with a low level of education. The majority of the respondents to the study reported self-medicating. Therefore, it's essential to enforce the law strictly and raise public awareness of the negative effects of self-medication.

English

The rampant practice of self-medication is indicative of very strong existing push and pulls factors. These factors could be economic, social or systemic. Despite having some beneficial effects, self-medication has life-threatening consequences. This study was aimed to determine the factors which push users to medicine sources or factors at the sources which pull users. A pre-validated questionnaire was administered to participants. Data were collected and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and the results expressed as frequencies and percentages. From the total of 650 respondents, poverty was found to be the major push factor for 360 participants (55.39%), followed by unprofessionalism, friends’ advice, previous use of medicine, lack of time, and poor price regulation as others. Low cost of medicines was found to pull 402 (61.8%) users to sources of medicines for self-medication. More than 300 of the respondents found easy access to medicine and advertising as strong pull factors. Other important pull factors include quick and time-saving, proliferation of medicine vendors, hospital crowds, and inadequate prescription checks at sources of medication. Poverty is a major push factor for self-medication, further compounded by quick access to illicit sources of medication. Consequently, users get pulled to cheaper sources, which unfortunately sell poor quality medicines, lack the expertise, or do not check prescription. Price control is required to ensure that quality medicines are accessible to users. Imposing physician prescription at all medicine sales points is a crucial step to fight the deleterious consequences of self-medication. Although self-medication has some positive elements, its practice needs to be put under control to avoid grappling with long term health complications. Key words: Self-medication, self-treatment, push factors, pull factors.

Knowledge Level of OTC and OTC Limited Drugs Use for Self-medication in the Community of Tondo Village, Mantikulore District, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Self-medication is treatment without a doctor's prescription. Based on the Indonesia Central Bureau of Statistics (2022), the percentage of self-medication for the people of Central Sulawesi in 2021 is 85.85%. Self-medication can have a bad impact without the right knowledge, even causing death. The study aimed to determine the community characteristics who did self-medication. These minor illnesses were treated with self-medication, the profile of over-the-counter (OTC) and OTC limited medicines for self-medication, and the level of knowledge of these medicines used for self-medication in the community of Tondo Village. This type of research was descriptive, with a sample of 386 respondents who were taken using purposive sampling. Data collection was started from August – November 2021. Based on the results, the respondent’s characteristics were female (52.3%), aged 26-35 (24.4%), household work (31.1%), and history of high school education (46.4%). Minor illnesses that were treated by self-medication were fever (15.54%), ulcer (7.46%), cough (15.54%), flu (18.91%), diarrhea (2.85%), headache (1 .30%), and allergy (0.78%). The profiles of OTC and OTC limited drugs are limited to paracetamol for fever (33.16%), antacids for ulcers (75.70%), Komix® for coughs (28.8%), Mixagrib® for flu (36.99%), Entrostop® for diarrhea (70,00%), Ibuprofen for headaches (100%), and CTM for allergies (100%). The percentage of drugs purchased in pharmacies or drug stores was 61.46%. The selection of drugs was based on experience, personal/family usage history (84.46%), and self-medication was used to save treatment costs (47.15%). The knowledge of OTC and OTC-limited drugs were categorized as good (75.09%). Based on the findings, we can conclude that the level of knowledge on the use of OTC and OTC limited drugs for self-medication of Tondo people is categorized as good.

PERCEPTIONS OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINES FOR SELF-MEDICATION AMONG PEOPLE IN DIENG PLATEAU CENTRAL JAVA PROVINCE, INDONESIA

Traditional medicines are commonly used in the community. One type of traditional medicines that is popular among people is "jamu". "Jamu" can be made from plants, animals, minerals, or a mixture of them that has been used for generations based on empiric experience. This study aimed to describe perceptions of the use of traditional medicines for self-medication among people in Dieng Plateau, Kejajar, Wonosobo, Central Java Province. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach. Respondents were adults more than 18 years old who had experience in using traditional medicines and were selected with non-random accidental sampling. Thirty-one (31) respondents signed informed consent. Data were collected using an interview guideline and analyzed using enumerative approach. Most of the respondents used traditional medicines for self-medication one to five times a month. They expressed that traditional medicine is like "Jamu", primarily liquid, with limited or no side effects. Traditional medicine was mostly obtained from local groceries at affordable prices. Most of the respondents have a positive attitude towards the use of traditional medicines. They have the willingness to use traditional medicines to deal with their symptoms or minor illnesses. Their satisfaction experience in using traditional medicine will motivate them to do so in the future. Based on the results, it can be said that traditional medicines have an important role in the health care system particularly for self-medication.

Dispensing and Variabilities in Pricing of Headache OTC Medicines by Community Pharmacies in a German Big City: A Simulated Patient Approach.

BackgroundIn Germany, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for self-medication may only be dispensed by community pharmacies (CPs). From the customer’s point of view, “adequate” counseling includes not only the recommendation of medicines that meet guidelines, but also the dispensing of low-priced medicines. This is all the more important in Germany against the background of free pricing and a lack of obligation to display prices. The aim was to analyze the dispensing and possible price variability of OTC medicines for headache.MethodsThe cross-sectional design of the study based on the simulated patient methodology (SPM) included all 42 CPs of the German big city Potsdam and used eight trained simulated patients (SPs). Between October and December 2020, four different SPs visited each CP four times with two almost identical scenarios with the demand for a medicine for headache.ResultsAll 168 planned visits were successfully completed and ibuprofen (60.1%) was dispensed most frequently. Across all dispensed medicines, prices varied from €0.93 to €9.97 (∆ 972%; median €3.46 [interquartile range (IQR) €2.25]). For repeated dispensing of the same CPs, the price variability was a maximum of €8.77. In addition, packs with ≤10 tablets were dispensed in 47.6%, with 11 to 20 tablets in 50.6%, and with >20 tablets in 1.8% of visits.ConclusionIncreasing price transparency and strengthening price competition could make it easier for customers to access OTC medicines according to their personal needs.

The prevalence and perception of self-medication among adults in the Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Self-medication, while potentially beneficial, also brings certain risks such as inappropriate treatment and adverse effects. In this study, we determine the prevalence and perception towards self-medication among adults living in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. This study was a cross-sectional study which sampled 562 respondents across the Klang Valley, Malaysia using a stratified quota sampling method and a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: demographic data, self-medication practices and perception towards self-medication. Perception towards self-medication was measured using 20 statements with a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive and inferential tests as well as factor analysis were used to analyse the data. The overall prevalence of self-medication for minor ailments was 63.5%. Self-medication was practised to a similar degree regardless of respondent demographics. Respondents most frequently obtained their medicines for self-medication of minor ailments from pharmacies without consulting the pharmacist (68.6%), followed by using leftover medications at home (44.8%) and obtaining medicines from friends and family (16.0%). Factor analysis revealed that self-medication behaviour is driven by good perception towards self-medication in terms of efficacy, safety and convenience, as well as by previous personal or shared experiences. The prevalence of self-medication is high among adults in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Adults who self-medicate view the consequences of self-medication in a positive light and may be influenced by previous personal or shared experiences. As certain risks with self-medication may be underestimated, efforts to educate the public while promoting a more proactive approach among healthcare professionals should be encouraged.

A knowledge-based system to find over-the-counter medicines for self-medication.

This study developed a medicine query system based on Semantic Web and open data especially for self-medication users to search over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Most existing medicine query systems are based on keyword searches. If users are uncertain about the exact search words, these query systems do not offer effective help. Furthermore, most systems provide inadequate explanations of symptoms and ailments for users to use with confidence. To remedy these issues, this study builds a knowledge base to enable inference-based searches and data mashup for integrating information from across the Web. Three components were identified: (1) building an ontology model to describe the relationships between ailments and symptoms; (2) upgrading medicinal product datasets to link them with the ontology model on a semantic level; and (3) developing a data mashup to integrate web resources to help users to find references. Furthermore, the aim was to develop a web-based application that utilizes inference mechanisms to provide users with tools for interactive manipulation. A pilot experiment for skin ailments was implemented to learn the problem-solving skills of the system. Finally, two experts utilized a content validity index to rate a four-dimension 15-item scale. The evaluation results show that experts found the proposed system excellent for content validity.

Prevalence and Practice of Self-Medication among Female

Background: Self-medication is a prevalent practice among undergraduate nursing students in Saudi Arabia. This undertakes a great significance among nursing students as they are going to be future healthcare practitioners. Purpose: To determine the prevalence and practices of selfmedication among the female nursing students of the University of Tabuk. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design using a pre-constructed questionnaire. The respondents were 128 currently enrolled female nursing students through census sampling. Ethical considerations were done in the conduct of the study. Results: The findings revealed a high prevalence of selfmedication with 79.7%. Most of the respondents were 19 years old (27.3%), second and the fourth year, 66 (51.6%) with family income of >8000 SAR per month, 84 (65.6%). Top reason for self-medication is to save time (51%) for the top three upper body diseases such as headache (76.6%), runny nose (37.3%) and dental pain (37.3%); for body diseases were nausea (16.7%) and fever (16.7%) and for Lower body diseases were wounds (25.5%). The commonly used medicines were Analgesic (90.2%), skin ointment (40.2%), cough syrup (23.5%) and the traditional medicines (62%). Brands selection depended on old prescription (37.3%). The main factor for the selection of the drug was the type of traditional (60.8%) due to price and pharmaceutical company. Such medicines for self-medication were obtained from pharmacy shop 89 (87.3.5%) where half (51%) of the respondents read prescription information before self-medicating. Finally, no association was found between the profile and prevalence of self-medication. Self-care is necessary but must be carried out in a safe and responsible actions of self-medicating. Recommendation: The Saudi government must bolster its laws and policies governing Food and drug administration. Though the participants are nursing students, they must be educated with a great emphasis on safe medications and be aware of the side effects, especially those who are not taking pharmacology subject yet as part of the Nursing course.

Rational Antibiotic Use by Ordinary People in Jakarta

Self-medication is defined as self treatment and self-diagnose for conditions such as cough, flu, fever, pain, stomach ulcers, worms, diarrhea, rash, and some other minor illnesses. Based on the data from Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kesehatan Kementerian Kesehatan RI (2013), there were 103.860 of 294.959 households (35,2%) in Indonesia which store medicines for selfmedication (including 35,7% “Obat Keras” or “Gevaarlijk” and 27,8% antibiotics). DKI Jakarta (56,4%) is the highest province with respect to stored medicines. Some studies have found that 40-62% of antibiotics are not used properly. The inappropriate use of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance risk and can be life-threatening for people in every part of the world. To address this problem, this community service was conducted to provide information about selfmedication of influenza and cough illness and to improve people’s knowledge in the proper use of antibiotics. Lecturing was chosen as the method for explaining the rational use of antibiotics and participants were requested to fill out a questionnaire. This activity was attended by 34 participants (and 32 participants filled out the questionnaire). About 13 participants (40,6%) provided correct answers to questions on the proper use of antibiotics. Twenty six participants (81,25%) said they had previously used antibiotics, 14 of them (53,85%) admitted to purchasing antibiotics without a prescription. Antibiotics are taken to treat symptoms such as runny nose, cough, sore throat, fever, and other conditions. A total of 7 participants (26,92%) admitted taking antibiotics with dosage modification and 8 participants (30,77%) switched one type of antibiotics with another type of antibiotics. Based on the results, we concluded that people did not have sufficient knowledge about the rational use of antibiotics. We suggested that counseling about the proper use of antibiotics should be improved.

Prevalence and practice of self-medication among undergraduate medical students and non-medical students in south India

Background: Self-medication is commonly practiced worldwide and the irrational use of drugs for self-medication is a major cause of concern. The situation is more complex when a number of prescriptions only medicines are used for self-medication which are easily available over the counter through pharmacies without any prescription. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and practice of self-medication among undergraduate medical students and non-medical students.Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire based study was carried out among 100 undergraduate students of a tertiary care medical college and 100 undergraduate students of an arts and science college in south India. The respondents were selected from the students who were present on the day of study. A pre-tested, self-assessing questionnaire was used to obtain the information on the prevalence and practice of self-medication.Results: Self-medication was practiced by 96% and 92% of medical and nonmedical students respectively. Overall practice of self-medication was 94%. Majority of females were self-medicating than males, 94% and 90% respectively. The most common symptom leading to self-medication among medical students were cough and common cold compared to headache among nonmedical students. The commonly used medicines for self-medication in both the groups were analgesics, antipyretics, cough suppressants and antibiotics. More number of medical students reported the use of antibiotics to treat infections (70%) which was statistically significant.Conclusions: The prevalence and practice of self-medication was alarming in both groups. The use of antimicrobials was also found to be very high among medical students. It is a need of the hour to create better awareness regarding the use of drugs for self-medication, to implement policies to prevent the dispensing of medicines without any prescription which would remain as the cornerstone for reducing the practice of self-medication.

SELF-MEDICATION WITH ANTI-MALARIAL MEDICINES AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of self-medication with anti-malarial medicines among high school students in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and to assess their knowledge on malaria and the dangers of self-medication.Methods: A pre-tested questionnaire was used in data collection. Data obtained include demographic characteristics, use of anti-malarial medicines without prescription in the past six months, knowledge on malaria, knowledge on the dangers of self-medication, type of anti-malarial used for self-medication, the source of medicine and reasons for self-medication. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Descriptive analysis was undertaken and the chi-square test was used to test significant differences in proportions between the different variables. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.Results: A total of 400 students were enrolled in the study. The frequency of anti-malarial self-medication by high school students in Dar es Salaam was 18.5%. The overall students’ level of knowledge on malaria and on the dangers of self-medication was low (73.0%). Artemether/lumefantrine and malafin® tablets were the most frequently used medicines for self-medication with a prevalence of 45.9% and 38.5% respectively. Past experience in treating similar disease, lack of money and easy access to anti-malarial medicine emerged as the main factors influencing their self-medication practice.Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication with anti-malarial medicines by high school students is relatively high given the low prevalence of malaria in Dar es Salaam. The students demonstrated a low knowledge on malaria and on the dangers of self-medication.

Knowledge, perception and practice of self-medication among premedical and basic science undergraduate medical students

Aims and Objective: Responsible self-medication is recognized as an important component of self-care. Medical students are in a unique position as they cannot yet legally prescribe medicines but their knowledge about and exposure to medicines increase as they progress through their course. Xavier University School of Medicine in Aruba admits students mainly from the United States, Canada and other countries to the undergraduate medical course. The present study was carried out to study the knowledge, perceptions and practice of self-medication among premedical and undergraduate medical students.Materials and Methods: The study was conducted during June and July 2016 using a questionnaire which had been used previously. Knowledge and perceptions were studied by noting the respondents’ degree of agreement with asset of 40 statements. The use of selected classes of medicines for self-medication during the preceding one-year period was studied. The knowledge, perception and total scores were calculated and compared among different subgroups of respondents. Age, gender, nationality and semester of study of the respondents were noted.Results: Eighty-five of the 125 students enrolled (69.1%) participated. The mean knowledge, perception and total scores were 73.45, 62.75 and 136.2 (maximum possible scores were 105, 95 and 200 respectively). There was no significant difference in scores among subgroups of respondents. Analgesics, skin ointments, antipyretics and anti-allergics were commonly used for self-medication. Over half the respondents had used some form of self-medication during the preceding year. Conclusion: The present study provides preliminary information regarding self-medication practices among both premedical and basic science medical students. Further studies on factors influencing and information sources used during self-medication can be conducted. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences Vol.7(5) 2016 63-68

The Role of Pharmacists and Student Pharmacists in Educating and Providing Advice about Over the Counter (OTC) Medications

The role of pharmacists in self-medication is to provide informed and objective advice on medicines and their use, and to promote the concept of pharmaceutical care. In 2012, the teaching of medicines and their use was started in junior high schools, and pharmacists should be providing samples and the example package inserts, and/or giving lessons in cooperation with teachers. In this article, a number of examples of how to do this will be shared. In 2009, the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law was revised and the role of pharmacists being key figures in supplying medicines was significantly increased. Pharmacists should have a professional obligation to provide advice about self-medication and medicines for self-medication. We introduced some approaches for student pharmacists to enhance the self-medication leading ability. 1) Problem-based learning, and combination learning of basic problems and clinical topics for 1st-year students, 2) An e-learning system to provide objective information about medicines, and 3) A case study system to cultivate pharmacists and student pharmacists who can contribute to providing advice about the safe use of over the counter (OTC) medicines.

Impact of media: self-medication and the rising problem of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial agents (AMAs) are one of the most commonly used as well as misused drugs. Antimicrobial resistance is an important growing global health issue which needs urgent addressal. Self-medication involves the use of medicinal products by the patient to treat self-recognized disorders, symptoms, recurrent diseases, or minor health problems. Medicines for self-medication are often called over the counter (OTC) drugs, which are available without a doctor’s prescription through pharmacies, mostly in the developing countries. Self-medication particularly with antibiotics has been widely reported, leading the World Health Organization to call attention to its dangers as a cause of antimicrobial resistance.

A review of the information-gathering process for the provision of medicines for self-medication via community pharmacies in developing countries

Currently, no review has been completed regarding the information-gathering process for the provision of medicines for self-medication in community pharmacies in developing countries. To review the rate of information gathering and the types of information gathered when patients present for self-medication requests. Six databases were searched for studies that described the rate of information gathering and/or the types of information gathered in the provision of medicines for self-medication in community pharmacies in developing countries. The types of information reported were classified as: signs and symptoms, patient identity, action taken, medications, medical history, and others. Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Variations in the study populations, types of scenarios, research methods, and data reporting were observed. The reported rate of information gathering varied from 18% to 97%, depending on the research methods used. Information on signs and symptoms and patient identity was more frequently reported to be gathered compared with information on action taken, medications, and medical history. Evidence showed that the information-gathering process for the provision of medicines for self-medication via community pharmacies in developing countries is inconsistent. There is a need to determine the barriers to appropriate information-gathering practice as well as to develop strategies to implement effective information-gathering processes. It is also recommended that international and national pharmacy organizations, including pharmacy academics and pharmacy researchers, develop a consensus on the types of information that should be reported in the original studies. This will facilitate comparison across studies so that areas that need improvement can be identified.

Self medication among hospitalized patients in selected secondary health facilities in South Western Nigeria.

Practice of self-medication has not been evaluated in hospitalized patients especially in Nigerian hospitals. To evaluate the practice of self-medication among hospitalized patients with an aim to unearth some of the reasons for, and perceptions of benefits of this type of behaviour in secondary health care facilities. This study was carried out among 197 in-patients admitted in three secondary health facilities in southwestern Nigeria using structured questionnaire. Effects of variables such as age, gender and marital status on the practice of self medication were also evaluated using the Fisher's Exact test at p<0.05 as level of significance. Response rate of the study was 93.8% with 174 respondents (88.3%) perceived that the medications prescribed for them were efficacious. Almost 38% of the respondents were self-medicating, with herbal medicines (29.2%) and western medicines (37%) partly due to side effects of the prescribed medicines. Thirty one (15.7%) respondents obtained medicines for self medication through relatives and friends. Prescription medicines used for self medication constituted 7.5%. Major reasons given for self medication included habit, availability and necessity. Ninety respondents (35.7%) had been informed by health care personnel about possible side effects of the medications. Ninety six respondents (48.7%) experienced side effects with the prescribed medications and was a major reason for self medication. Seventy six respondents (79.2%) who had side effects or other secondary symptoms informed healthcare personnel in the hospital while 16 (16.7%) informed relatives and friends. There was statistically significant association between age and the action taken on whom was informed (p=0.001). There is need for extra vigilance from health personnel directly responsible for care of hospitalized patients to look for incidences of self-medication and patient education on the negative aspects of administering undisclosed medicines to their health care givers especially while they are hospitalized.

Sources of medicine information and their reliability evaluated by medicine users

To study the medicine users' sources of medicine information and the perceived reliability of these sources in different age groups. A computer-aided telephone interview (CATI) to Finnish consumers (n = 1,004). Those respondents (n = 714) who reported using any prescription or self-medication medicines more than once a month were included in the study. The respondents were interviewed about their use of sources of medicine information during the previous 6 months. The reliability of sources in different age groups was estimated using a 4-point scale: very reliable, somewhat reliable, somewhat unreliable and very unreliable. The respondents also had the option of being unable to make an appraisal. A proportion of respondents reporting using the source, number of mentioned sources and their reliability evaluated by respondents. About half of the respondents in each age group mentioned two to four sources. The most common sources of information were Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) (74%), doctors (68%) and pharmacists (60%). Next came television (40%), newspapers and magazines (40%), drug advertisements (32%), nurses (28%), drug information leaflets (27%), relatives and friends (24%), medicine guides and books (22%) and the Internet (20%). There was a significant difference between age groups in reporting the Internet as a source of medicine information (15-34-year-old respondents reported the greatest Internet use). The three most reliable sources in every age group were reported to be PILs, doctors and pharmacists. Nurses, drug regulatory authorities, drug information leaflets and medicine guides and books were considered next most reliable. Relatives and friends, television, newspapers and magazines were considered the least reliable. The respondents were most uncertain about the reliability of the Internet, patient organisations and telephone services. There was a significant difference between age groups in evaluating the reliability of telephone services (15-34-year-olds found them more reliable). Medicine users reported receiving medicine information from many sources. The most commonly used sources were perceived as the most reliable, but their reliability did not seem to depend on age. The counsellors should take into account that patients have many sources of medicine information, with varying validity.