title: Factors associated with self-medication among medicine sellers in urban Vietnam.
abstract: In Vietnam, many medicine sellers serving pharmacies and retail outlets do not have adequate professional qualifications, and there has been a limited institutional control. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the prevalence and determinants of self-medication among medicine sellers in Hanoi, Vietnam. Although 96.55% of medicine sellers had relatively serious health problems, only 61.21% visited a healthcare facility, though self-medication was moderately high (approximately 39%). Adopting Andersen's conceptual model, it was identified that medicine sellers who reported higher professional education, had low confidence in healthcare services, had not received any professional in-service during the prior year, had less serious health problems and who perceived the current costs of healthcare as too high were more likely to report self-medication. The findings have public health policy implications for these healthcare providers in urban Vietnam and other similar developing countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management and Organization, Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Huy Van
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Dong Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Thi Hong Ngoc
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Nguyen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014744:Vietnam; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Hanoi, Vietnam; medicine sellers; pharmacies; pharmacists; self-medication