Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Kevrekidis, D.P.
• Mináriková, D.
• Markos, A.

Titel

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

Ist Teil von

• EUROPEAN PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL, 2022-03, Vol.68 (2), p.27-40

Ort / Verlag

Sciendo

Erscheinungsjahr

2022

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• 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.