title: Knowledge of medication use and factors influencing the utilisation of public health clinics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to determine knowledge of medication use, to investigate the treatment-seeking pattern and to identify factors affecting the use of public health clinics among the study population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was conducted in Mantin Town of Malaysia using a structured questionnaire based on a literature review. Households were recruited through a three-stage sampling technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 183 respondents (mean age 44.6 [±16.9] years; 115 [62.8%] women), 157 (85.8%) did not know about the term 'generic name' and 159 (86.9%) were not sure about the difference in price between a generic medicine and a branded medicine. The majority sought healthcare from the public health clinics (102/183; 55.7%). In the multivariate analysis, higher education level of respondents (p = 0.028), good quality of services in public health clinics (p = 0.001) and short distances between their residences and the public health clinics (p<0.001) were the significant variables for predicting the use of a public health clinic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights that health education on the use of generic drugs needs to be scaled up. These findings are important to the health policy makers who may need to consider addressing factors such as quality of care and physical distance to the clinic in the design and implementation of health facilities and the selection of the catchment areas.
authors.forename: Cho
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Naing
authors.forename: Yew Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.forename: Cheah Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Ng Shien
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: Loh Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Lim Xiu
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Wong Chee
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Kin
authors.forename: Sivasanggari A P
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Selvanathan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000191:economics; D004522:Educational Status; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011634:Public Health; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D016568:Drugs, Generic