Assessing consumers' perception and demand on the community pharmacists' dispensing

Yapp Wen Xuan; Hui Poh Goh; Inayat Ur Rehman; Naeem Shafqat; Yaser Mohammed Al-Worafi; Long Chiau Ming; Andi Hermansyah

doi:10.1186/s40545-023-00609-1

Assessing consumers' perception and demand on the community pharmacists' dispensing

J Pharm Policy Pract. 2023 Nov 29;16(1):162. doi: 10.1186/s40545-023-00609-1.

Authors

Yapp Wen Xuan¹, Hui Poh Goh², Inayat Ur Rehman³, Naeem Shafqat¹, Yaser Mohammed Al-Worafi^{4

5}, Long Chiau Ming^{1

6

7}, Andi Hermansyah⁸

Affiliations

¹ PAP Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, BE1410, Brunei.
² PAP Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, BE1410, Brunei. pohhui.goh@ubd.edu.bn.
³ Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan.
⁴ College of Medical Sciences, Azal University for Human Development, Sana'a, Yemen.
⁵ College of Pharmacy, University of Science and Technology of Fujairah, P.O. Box 2202, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.
⁶ Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, Indonesia.
⁷ School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
⁸ Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, Indonesia. andi-h@ff.unair.ac.id.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to assess the general public's perception of services provided by community pharmacies, their willingness to utilize these services, their satisfaction with and understanding of community pharmacists, and their views on dispensing separation and pharmacy medicines (P medicines).

Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted, in which questionnaires were distributed among the general public. A novel questionnaire was designed and validated specifically for this study. It was composed of six sections: demographics, pharmacy usage and service preferences, understanding and satisfaction with pharmacists, views on dispensing separation, private community pharmacies, and knowledge of P medicines. Statistical analyses such as one-way ANOVA, independent t test, and binary logistic regression were employed, with a p value of < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results: The study received 222 responses. The majority of the respondents were females within the 20-29-year-old age group (62.2%). Most respondents preferred to consult doctors for medical treatment, with their primary reason for visiting community pharmacies being to collect prescribed medicines. About 52.7% of respondents expressed their willingness to avail of screening services and treatment for minor illnesses at community pharmacies. A statistically significant difference was found among different age groups regarding their views on the dispensing separation system, with those aged 41-50 years demonstrating higher scores. However, the binary logistic regression analysis did not reveal any statistical significance when comparing the understanding of P medicines among respondents.

Conclusions: In general, the public prefers to consult doctors for medical treatment and visit community pharmacies predominantly to collect prescriptions or purchase over-the-counter medications. Nonetheless, they are also open to utilizing services provided by community pharmacists, particularly screening services and treatment for minor illnesses.

Keywords: Affordability; Consumers’ perception; Dispensing separation system; Health policy; Medicine; Medicine access.