Pharmaceutical information as an aspect of shaping patient behavior when choosing a pharmacy organization and self-medication

Objective: An analysis of pharmaceutical information as a factor in self-medication and the loyalty of pharmacy visitors.

Material and methods. Sociological survey was conducted with 2888 respondents, poll`s period February – March 2025 inclusive. The geographical coverage included 58 subjects of the Russian Federation. The questionnaire consisted of questions to identify the respondent's characteristics (gender, age, region of residence), frequency of self-medication, attitude of pharmacy visitors to pharmaceutical specialists and their recommendations. Kendall's and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were used when processing the questionnaires.

Results. 88,3% of respondents use self-medication, and 42,8% do it often and constantly. Factors that increase the tendency toward self-medication are the female sex and young age. There is no correlation between the high frequency of self-medication and visits to pharmacy organizations. The main criteria for choosing a pharmacy organization are the price of the desired product, proximity to home/work, and the range of products offered. Most often, respondents are interested in the drug as well as the assortment of goods. Internet ordering is also popular. Searching for information on the Internet about a drug, assortment, pharmacy, or online order correlates with more frequent self-treatment. Respondents indicated time and/or cash savings as the main reasons for searching for information. Only 37,1% of respondents always fully follow the recommendations of pharmacy workers, and patient compliance naturally negatively correlates with self-medication. 20,6% of respondents indicated distrust of the qualifications of a pharmacy specialist and/or considered, that their recommendations optional. Reluctance to change lifestyles, as well as a lack of belief in the outcome, correlated with male gender and younger age. Among the positive trends in pharmacies, the most often noted were an increase in the range of drugs, an improvement in equipment, and the number of organizations. Among the negative trends in the pharmaceutical industry, respondents noted an increase in self-interest (commercial interest) among pharmacy workers – 24,7% of respondents answered so. Only 38,4% of respondents noted the possibility of error or subjectivity in someone else's negative opinion about the pharmacy. A more positive attitude toward the pharmacy worker generally correlated with a lower frequency of self-medication.

Conclusion. The results of the sociological study demonstrate the importance of pharmaceutical information and attitudes toward pharmacy workers as factors in self-medication. The data obtained can serve as the basis for targeted advertising, considering age and gender preferences, and popularizing the appeal to a specialist. It is also necessary to monitor and update information freely available on the Internet.

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