Health beliefs and over-the-counter product use.
BACKGROUND
Pharmacists are often consulted as medical advisors. Given this case, customers and pharmacists should interact in a trustful way (eg, in terms of responding to customer's needs or recommending a different drug). Consideration of the health beliefs of the customer could improve the interaction between pharmacists and their clients and have a positive impact on medical adherence.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the health beliefs of pharmacy customers in Germany, the impact of those beliefs on over-the-counter (OTC) medication use, and associations with sociodemographic variables.


METHODS
By means of literature review and methodical surveys, a standardized questionnaire was designed that contained 68 items concerning health beliefs, habits of OTC product use, decision criteria that customers used when purchasing drugs, and information about the sociodemographic background of the participants. Main outcome measures were reliability (Cronbach's alpha) and correlations. A random sample of 58 pharmacies in Saxony, Germany (10 questionnaires per pharmacy), invited their customers to take part in our study.


RESULTS
One hundred twenty-three questionnaires (response rate 53.48%) were completed and returned to us. The outcome suggests that there is a strong association between health beliefs and frequency of use or the type of OTC drug (eg, illness attributions: p < 0.05; preventive lifestyle: p < 0.05). There were no significant associations between sociodemographic variables and chosen drugs.


CONCLUSIONS
Health beliefs, in terms of the general attitude toward health and illness, illness attribution, prevention, and the attitude toward treatment strategies, influence the kind of remedy (conventional vs complementary medication) that consumers seek. These results may have implications for consultations in pharmacies or for product marketing.
Häussinger
Constanze
C
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Goettingen, Germany. chaeuss@uni-goettingen.de
Ruhl
Uwe E
UE
Hach
Isabel
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024382:Professional Role; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012651:Self Medication; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs