Effects of Demographic Characteristics and Consumer Behavior in the selection of Retail Pharmacies and Over-the-Counter Medicine

European Pharmaceutical Journal Pub Date : 2021-12-01 DOI:10.2478/afpuc-2021-0017

D. Kevrekidis, D. Mináriková, A. Markos

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引用次数: 1

Abstract

Abstract Aim The study aimed to provide new insights into consumer behaviour by identifying the key demographic factors that influence the choice of pharmacy and over-the-counter (OTC) medicine. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in an urban area (Thessaloniki, Greece), surveying a convenience sample of 314 consumers with a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using the chi-square test, one-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and Spearman's rho correlation coefficient. Results Respondents with a lower educational level and retired consumers tended to make their purchases in a single pharmacy (p < 0.001). Older participants were more likely to consider the pharmacy staff and additional services to be important factors (p < 0.01). Students were the only group to prefer a formal relationship with the pharmacy staff (p < 0.001). Participants with a lower educational level tended to know exactly what they would buy (p < 0.05), whereas women made more unscheduled purchases of OTCs (p < 0.05). Respondents with a higher income assigned more importance to the product's country of origin (p < 0.05) and manufacturing company (p < 0.01) and less importance to the pharmacist's opinion than those of a lower income (p < 0.05). Conclusions The educational level, occupation and age of consumers have a marked effect in their selection of pharmacy, and along with gender and personal income, in their choice of OTC medicine. Our findings yield implications for the management of community pharmacies.

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人口统计学特征和消费者行为对零售药店和非处方药选择的影响

摘要目的本研究旨在通过确定影响药房和非处方药选择的关键人口统计因素，为消费者行为提供新的见解。材料和方法在一个城市地区（希腊塞萨洛尼基）进行了一项横断面研究，用结构化问卷调查了314名方便消费者。数据分析采用卡方检验、单因素方差分析（ANOVA）和Spearman的rho相关系数。结果教育水平较低的受访者和退休消费者倾向于在一家药店购物（p＜0.001）。年龄较大的参与者更有可能认为药房工作人员和额外服务是重要因素（p＜0.01）。学生是唯一喜欢与药房工作人员建立正式关系的群体（p＜001）教育水平倾向于确切地知道他们会买什么（p<0.05），而女性对OTCs的计划外购买更多（p<0.05）。收入较高的受访者比收入较低的受访者更重视产品的原产国（p<0.05）和生产公司（p<0.01），而对药剂师意见的重视程度较低（p<0.05），消费者的职业和年龄对他们选择药店有显著影响，而性别和个人收入对他们选择非处方药也有显著影响。我们的研究结果对社区药房的管理产生了启示。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

European Pharmaceutical Journal Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics-Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics (all)

CiteScore

0.60

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： European Pharmaceutical Journal publishes only original articles not previously published and articles that are not being considered or have not been submitted for publication elsewhere. If parts of the results have been published as conference abstract or elsewhere, it should be stated in references. The ethical standards of the Helsinki-Tokio Declaration should be kept. This should be mentioned in the Methods of manuscript. Reviews are published only on request. Authors, whose submitted research work was performed with the support of a company, should indicate this in Conflict of Interest.