Over-the-counter drug use in primary stage and evaluation of healthcare

Introduction: Over-the-counter drug use can vary depending on many factors, along with sociodemographic characteristics. This study aims to evaluate the satisfaction level of patients from primary health care, their over-the-counter drug use, and the relationship between the two. Methods: This research is in the cross-sectional analytical study model and was carried out by applying a face-to-face questionnaire with 333 patients registered in Gaziemir Education Family Health Center No. 10 of Dokuz Eylul University Family Medicine Department. A sociodemographic data form, a questionnaire including questions about over-the-counter drug use, and the EUROPEP scale were administered to the participants. The data of the study were analyzed through the IBM SPSS (statistical package for social sciences) 24.0 package program. Mean, standard deviation for descriptive continuous variables; frequency and percentage distributions for categorical variables, chi-square test for comparison of categorical independent variables and dependent variables, t-test or ANOVA tests for comparison of numerical independent variables, p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The general satisfaction level of the patients was found to be 92.2%. In general, the titles that patients are most satisfied with from their physicians are respectively; It was 'examining you', 'Keeping records and information confidential' and 'Doing his job properly'. In our study, patients were most dissatisfied with accessibility, such as 'You can reach your doctor by phone', 'You can reach ASM by phone' and 'Time you spend in the waiting room'. The rate of over-the-counter drug use was 77.2% among all patients. We found that the most frequently used drugs without a physician's recommendation or prescription were painkillers with 94.1%. There was no relationship between patients' satisfaction with their physicians and over-the-counter drug use. Conclusion: In this study, which was conducted in an Educational FHC, the satisfaction level of the patients was found above the country average. The rate of over-the-counter drug use is quite high, as supported by current studies. However, more studies are needed on the underlying causes of such high over-the-counter drug use. Key Words: Over-the-counter drug use, patient satisfaction, EUROPEP scale, primary health care