Table 2 Patients’ attitude toward OTC medicines: questions and responses (%)
Strongly agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The chemist is a good source of advice/information about minor medical problems. | 14.9 | 67.2 | 15.6 | 2.2 |
A person should take medicines/treatment only when it is necessary. | 60.3 | 36.5 | 2.2 | 1.0 |
You get good value from a doctor’s prescription. | 23.1 | 66.0 | 10.7 | 0.2 |
Even if I have a health problem, I prefer to avoid taking any medicines. | 17.4 | 35.7 | 39.5 | 7.4 |
We should be careful with non-prescribed OTC medicines. | 18.4 | 52.6 | 27.8 | 1.2 |
People are less likely to bother their doctor with minor problems nowadays. | 18.4 | 49.9 | 27.0 | 4.7 |
Only medicines/treatment from a doctor will really help. | 3.7 | 18.4 | 57.3 | 20.6 |
Medicines/treatments you can buy are just as effective as those you get from a doctor. | 3.0 | 18.4 | 57.3 | 20.6 |
Overall, seeing a doctor costs me less than buying OTC medicines. | 7.7 | 43.2 | 39.5 | 9.7 |
Generally, I find the medicines you can buy are less effective. | 7.4 | 38.7 | 48.6 | 5.2 |
More prescribed drugs should be deregulated to OTC status. | 7.4 | 49.9 | 38.5 | 4.2 |
Prescription medicines are completely safe to use. | 7.9 | 46.7 | 40.7 | 4.7 |
Non-prescription medicines can have dangerous side effects. | 3.5 | 30.0 | 62.5 | 4.0 |
Non-prescription medicines can sometimes mask serious health problems. | 8.2 | 50.9 | 39.0 | 2.0 |
Some non-prescription medicines interfere with the natural healing process of the body. | 4.0 | 38.5 | 55.1 | 2.5 |
With continual use, some non-prescription medicines lose their effectiveness. | 11.4 | 53.1 | 33.7 | 1.7 |
Some non-prescription medicines may cause dependency or addiction if taken for a long period of time. | 8.2 | 47.1 | 40.9 | 3.7 |
Reading the label on the package is one of the ways I decide which medicines to take. | 29.3 | 58.6 | 10.7 | 1.5 |
Advertisements help me to learn what types or brand of medicines you can buy. | 3.7 | 39.7 | 47.6 | 8.9 |
I sometimes cannot afford to buy all the medicines I would like to buy myself (without a prescription). | 10.9 | 32.5 | 44.7 | 11.9 |
I sometimes cannot afford to buy all the items on a prescription issued by a doctor. | 4.0 | 16.9 | 58.6 | 20.6 |
If I am unsure about a problem, I always look for advice from a doctor or nurse. | 25.6 | 48.1 | 23.6 | 2.7 |
I read the instructions carefully before taking a medicine or treatment for the first time. | 27.3 | 46.2 | 23.8 | 2.7 |