Patient’s Perceptions and Attitude toward Medications in Saudi Arabia

Objective: To explore the Patients perceptions and attitudes toward Medications in Saudi Arabia. Methods: It is a 4-months cross-sectional survey of patient and basic knowledge of medicines. The survey consisted of two-part, demographic information and second part forty-nine questions divided into four domains. It included domain 1: Primary or essential information about patient medication, domain 2: patient information about the drug-related problem, domain 3: patient information about drug-related cost and domain 4: patient perception of medications. Medline Plus health information and Daily Med-INH elements information from National Institute of Health United State of America were used. The 5-point Likert response scale system was used. The questions were open and closed-ended. The survey distributed through social media and at 500-bed pediatrics and maternity hospital in Asir region, at ambulatory care pharmacy. The authors did the patients interview with electronic survey documentation. The survey was made in an electronic format and it analyzed domain four patient perception of medications through survey monkey system. Results: The total responders were (614) Saudi patient. The gender distribution 523 (86.7%) were females and 91(13.3%) were males. The type of medication used was for Diabetes, Hypertension, Skin and Respiratory diseases. More than half of responders sometimes had difficulties in reading drug name 374 (61.6%) and 126 (20.8%) cannot know the expiration date of Medications. The responders showed that 207 (34%) takes their medication without any prior information, 276 (45.44%) described drug to the person had the same disease and 325 (53.8%) use the medication without any prescription. Also; 328 (53.3%) of responders stopped their medication when they feel better and 274 (44.9%) of them they completed entire medication course of therapy. The responders displayed that 310 (50.9%) believed that Drug Information given by health care was not enough and 238 (39.3%) of responders thought that their medication knowledge was not sufficient. Conclusion: There were a wrong perception and attitudes toward medications. It may lead to diseases progress, not a useful medicine and occurrence of drug-related morbidity and mortality. Global and general improvement in understanding of medications knowledge through patient counseling is mandatory. Key word: Patient, Perceptions, Attitudes medications, Ministry of health, Saudi Arabia.