title: Impact of medicine-related information on medicine purchase and use by literate consumers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure impact of information, education, and communication intervention (IEC) on rational medicine use, purchase, and stocking behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a pre- and post-design, interventional study. Base data were collected in first visit, using pre tested questionnaire from 500 respondents, who were of either gender, English speaking, at least graduates, permanent residents, and willing to participate. IEC was framed based on problems identified from this data. First intervention was handouts distributed in the second visit, containing information on cost saving in medicine purchase. Second intervention was a lecture session on medicine prices, rational use of medicines, and tips on saving on medicine purchase. Five articles about medicine use and price differences were published in the local newspaper, over 10 days, formed third intervention. After 1 month, post-intervention data was collected using same instrument with some additional questions. Results were analyzed by Chi-square test using Graph Pad prism Version 3.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Awareness about price variation, self-medication, expiry period, generic and brand quality increased post-intervention. Attitudes toward new, costly, brands, injections, sharing and reusing old prescriptions changed post-intervention. Behavioral changes in stocking habits, adherence to doctors' advice, getting cash memo, comparing prices, reading labels, were seen post-intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  People carry false notions about medicines which influence their use and habits. This intervention successfully changed behavior and could bring awareness on many aspects of medicine use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, Patel Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: Vijay R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Thawani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, Patel Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: Kunda J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Gharpure
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, Patel Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
authors.forename: Smita D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Sontakke
mesh_terms: D004348:Drug Labeling; D004356:Drug Storage; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000639:trends*; D005252:Fees, Pharmaceutical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008297:Male; D008389:Marketing of Health Services; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations
keywords: Compliance; cost comparison; generic verses brand; media influence; medicine storage
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