Elsevier

Health Policy

Volume 84, Issue 1, November 2007, Pages 51-57
Health Policy

Sources of medicine information in Finland

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2007.05.005Get rights and content

Abstract

Objectives

To identify differences in reported sources of medicine information between age groups and genders in one European country (Finland).

Methods

A questionnaire on health behaviour was sent by mail to a random sample of 5000 Finns aged 15–64 years in the spring of 2005. The respondents (n = 3287) were asked to report the sources from which they had received information about their medicines (both prescription medicines and self-medication) used over the past year (12 months). Number of respondents who had used medicines during the past year and reported at least one source of medicine information was 2348.

Results

Women used PILs, newspapers, magazines, books, Health Food Stores (p < 0.001) and advertisements (p < 0.01) more than men as their medicine information sources. The oldest (50–64-year-olds) men and women reported doctors as sources of medicine information more commonly (p < 0.001) and the Internet less commonly (p < 0.001) than respondents in other age groups. The 15–29-year-old women received more information from PILs, nurses, relatives and friends (p < 0.001) and from radio and television (p < 0.05) than women in other age groups. The 15–29-year-old men found more information from relatives, friends, radio and television (p < 0.001) than men in other age groups.

Conclusions

There are differences in the reported sources of medicine information between genders and age groups. Older persons seem mostly to use health professionals as their source, while younger persons seem to prefer the Internet or other sources which they can use by themselves. Women seem to be more active than men in searching for medicine information and, like younger persons, on their own initiative.

Introduction

Doctors and pharmacists have been reported to be the most common sources of medicine information among pharmacy customers (n = 301) [1], among patients using prescription medicines (n = 213) [2] and among patients using prescription, OTC or complementary medicines (n = 455) [3]. A recent Finnish study (n = 714) showed that although doctors and pharmacists were the most common sources of medicine information, patients frequently used other sources such as Patient Information Leaflets, which can easily be used when searching for information without help of health professionals [4]. Medicine users also considered media as a common source of medicine information [4].

Patients are increasingly participating in decision-making concerning their health care [5]. Since they need valid information to be able to do so, the need for valid health- and medicine-related information has grown remarkably among patients [5]. Information providers should be aware of different information needs. They should also be aware of the population groups that may be at risk of not reaching the information they need, to be able to target the information provision efficiently.

Most of the studies investigating the sources of medicine information have been conducted with small study populations, which restrict detailed analysis [1], [2], [3]. In this study, we report the sources of medicine information of a larger population (n = 2348) in one European country. We also identify the possible differences between genders and age groups.

Section snippets

Materials and methods

This study was conducted with Finnish consumers and patients. In Finland, medicinal products except nicotine replacement products may be sold to the general public only from pharmacies [6]. The pharmacist's duty to counsel is statutory and it covers both prescription and over-the-counter medicines [6]. Advertising of prescription medicines to the general public is prohibited and marketing of medicinal products must encourage appropriate use of those products [6].

The National Public Health

Results

Doctors were the most common source of information (61%) (Fig. 1). Pharmacists were the second most common source (49%), followed by PILs (44%). The next were nurses; newspapers, magazines and books; relatives and friends. Nine percent of the respondents reported that they had used the Internet as a source of medicine information.

There were differences between genders (Table 2). Women had received significantly more medicine information than men from PILs, newspapers, magazines and books,

Discussion

This study suggests that there are differences between gender and age groups in using the sources of medicine information. Women are more active than men and they report more sources. In earlier studies they have also been reported to be more active in using healthcare services [9] and making decisions in matters relating to health and the treatment of illnesses [10]. In the present study, they also seemed to use more written and non-informal sources than men.

This study also suggests that older

Conclusions

When developing patient information, it should be kept in mind that there are differences between age groups and genders in reaching the produced information. In this study, we found that women are more active and they have more sources of medicine information compared to men. Different age groups prefer different sources and tools when searching for medicine-related information. Information about medicines should be available in many different forms. What all patients have in common, however,

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgements

Our warmest thanks to Anna Karjalainen M.A., Hannu Närhi M.D. and Jorma Torppa, M.Sc., for their comments.

References (20)

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