People's views on the level of agreement of generic medicines for different illnesses.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aims to investigate (1) what is the influence of illness labels (flu, asthma and angina pectoris) upon the level of agreement with the prescription of generic medicines, and (2) the influence of socio-demographic factors on lay beliefs about generic medicines, in general, and for different illness labels.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional design in which the participants were Portuguese, men and women, aged over 18 years old, and recruited from the general population (non-patients). The participants completed an anonymous self-administered questionnaire which included measures of lay beliefs about generic medicines in general (GMS), level of agreement with the prescription of a generic medicines for different illnesses, and socio-demographic factors.


METHODS
Level of agreement with the use of generic medicines for flu, asthma and angina pectoris. Results Participants seemed to have well-defined beliefs about generics concerning their efficacy and similarity with brand medicines. Beliefs about the efficacy of generic medicines were significantly different according to the three age groups (18-25 years, mean = 3.84 (0.56); 26-37 years, mean = 3.80 (0.61); >38 years, mean = 3.72 (0.66); F = 4.4; P = 0.01), and level of education attained (9 years, mean = 3.60 (0.69); 12 years, mean = 3.78 (0.57); graduate, mean = 3.93 (0.54); F = 32.2; P = 0.000). Although participants have a moderate level of agreement with the prescription of generic medicines for the three different illnesses, their agreement significantly decreased when the illness was perceived as more serious. The lay beliefs about generics seemed to moderate the level of agreement with the prescription of a generic medicine.


CONCLUSIONS
Lay beliefs about generic medicines may influence the level of agreement with the prescription of a generic medicine in a general population sample. These results raise important questions concerning the need to consider illness perceptions of lay people and their relationship with perceptions of treatment for different conditions.
Figueiras
Maria João
MJ
Unidade de Investigação em Psicologia da Saúde, Instituto Piaget-Campus Universitário de Almada, Quinta da Arreinela de Cima, 2800-305, Almada, Portugal. mfigueiras@almada.ipiaget.org
Marcelino
Dália
D
Cortes
Maria Armanda
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000188:drug therapy; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013810:Therapeutic Equivalency; D055815:Young Adult
D016568:Drugs, Generic