<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec><h3>Aim</h3>
<p>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.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Materials and Methods</h3>
<p>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.</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Results</h3>
<p>Respondents with a lower educational level and retired consumers tended to make their purchases in a single pharmacy (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). Older participants were more likely to consider the pharmacy staff and additional services to be important factors (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). Students were the only group to prefer a formal relationship with the pharmacy staff (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). Participants with a lower educational level tended to know exactly what they would buy (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05), whereas women made more unscheduled purchases of OTCs (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05). Respondents with a higher income assigned more importance to the product's country of origin (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05) and manufacturing company (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01) and less importance to the pharmacist's opinion than those of a lower income (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05).</p>
</sec>
<sec><h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>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.</p>
</sec>
</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.

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

Comenius University in Bratislava Faculty of Pharmacy

Univerzita Komenskeho v Bratislave Farmaceuticka Fakulta

Democritus University of Thrace School of Education

Demokriteio Panepistemio Thrakes Schole Epistemon Agoges

European Pharmaceutical Journal

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Aim
The study aimed to provide new insights into consumer behaviour by identifying the key demographic factors that influence the choice of pharmacy and...

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

Article Category: Original Paper

Published Online: Mar 01, 2022

Page range: 27 - 40

Received: Apr 14, 2018

Accepted: Jun 01, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/afpuc-2021-0017

Keywords
Self-medication, OTC, community pharmacy, demographic factors, marketing strategy

© 2021 D.P. Kevrekidis et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

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

Article Category: Original Paper

Published Online: Mar 01, 2022

Page range: 27 - 40

Received: Apr 14, 2018

Accepted: Jun 01, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/afpuc-2021-0017

KeywordsSelf-medication, OTC, community pharmacy, demographic factors, marketing strategy

© 2021 D.P. Kevrekidis et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Self-medication, OTC, community pharmacy, demographic factors, marketing strategy