Determination of factors affecting pharmacists' over-the-counter drug recommendations

Today, many medicines have been reclassified according to non-prescription medicine status, providing the public with more direct access to an increasing number of medicines. With increased use of over-the-counter medications, consumers are given the opportunity to become more involved in their own health. In health services where information asymmetry exists, consumers consult various sources to decide whether to use an over the-counter drug. The most consulted health professional among these sources is the pharmacist. Pharmacists have a multifaceted role in the supply of over-the-counter medicines and assume the responsibility of being the community's health advisor in the use of over-the-counter medicines. When pharmacists advise consumers about non prescription drugs, they are influenced by a wide variety of factors such as medical, social and marketing. The factors under which the pharmacist will recommend non-prescription drugs depend on many characteristics of the pharmacist and the pharmacy. The starting point of this study is the lack of a current study in the national literature on the factors affecting pharmacists' over-the-counter drug recommendations. In this context, the aim of this study is to reveal whether the factors affecting pharmacists' over-the-counter drug recommendations differ in terms of pharmacist and pharmacy. In this context, a survey form was distributed to pharmacists working in pharmacies operating in Ankara face to face and the data obtained from a total of 333 pharmacists were evaluated. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that pharmacists' over-the-counter drug recommendations were most affected by the medical powers dimension. In addition, in the research; In their evaluation of the medical, social and marketing powers of pharmacists, factors related to the pharmacist's marital status, duty in the pharmacy, experience in the sector, location of the pharmacy he works in, category, contracted insurance institution, duration of activity, average daily number of prescriptions, average daily number of over-the-counter drug sales and number of employees. Significant differences were detected. Keywords Non-prescription, pharmacy, marketing