Purpose: Against a background of increasing availability and use of non-prescription medicines, this study set out to explore: use of such medicines by patients seeing their general practitioner (GP); frequency of GP enquiry about such use; and frequency of recommendations to use a non-prescription medicine.
Method: Patients attending four general practices in Aberdeen, Scotland, completed separate questionnaires (before and after seeing their GP).
Results: Some 461 individuals waiting to see their GP were invited to participate: 427 (93%) completed the pre-consultation questionnaire and 305 (71% of questionnaires issued) completed the post-consultation questionnaire. Almost half (45%) of all participants reported using non-prescription medicines in the 7 days prior to visiting their doctor; with 20% of the medicines purchased from non-pharmacy retail outlets. Thirteen per cent of participants were asked about their use of non-prescribed medicines by their GP. Eight per cent of participants were recommended to use a non-prescription medicine by their GP.
Conclusion: Although there was a high level of recent use of non-prescribed medicines by the general practice attenders, relatively few reported being asked about such use, or were recommended to use such medicines by their GP.
Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.