Key information providers, channels, and characteristics of Japanese consumers’ informed choices of over-the-counter medications

People need reliable information regarding over-the-counter medications (OTCs), so that they can independently make appropriate informed choices. The study aimed to identify the information providers and channels that have an impact on the purchase of OTCs, and to demonstrate the information needs of OTC purchasers, using these providers and channels, from the viewpoint of information characteristics such as specialty, objectivity, concreteness, comprehensiveness, individuality, and availability, focusing on the efficacy of OTCs and related safety information. A questionnaire survey of randomly sampled adults aged ≥20 was conducted at the Japan Drugstore Show 2012, hosted by the Japan Association of Chain Drug Stores. In this questionnaire, information was particularly limited to the efficacy and safety of OTCs. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed on data from 1743 respondents (1625 purchasers and 118 non-purchasers of OTCs) who obtained information on OTCs in their daily lives, to demonstrate the associations between the use of information providers and channels (predictor variables) and the purchase of OTCs (outcome variable), as well as between information characteristics valued by purchasers (predictor variables) and their use of these information providers or channels (outcome variables). Both the use of pharmacists as information providers and consultation at pharmacies as an information channel were positively associated with the purchase of OTCs (odds ratio [OR], 3.74; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 2.46-5.68; P < 0.001 and OR, 4.55; 95 % CI 2.92-7.11, P < 0.001, respectively), whereas both the use of family or friends using OTCs as information providers and family or friends as information channels were negatively associated with the purchase of OTCs (OR, 0.60; 95 % CI 0.40-0.90; P = 0.014 and OR, 0.55; 95 % CI 0.36-0.82; P = 0.004, respectively). OTC purchasers who valued individuality of information were more likely to use pharmacists (OR 2.00; 95 % CI 1.61-2.48; P < 0.001) and consultation at pharmacies (OR 1.98; 95 % CI 1.61-2.43; P < .001). In conclusion, individualized information provided by pharmacists on the efficacy and safety of OTCs during consultation at pharmacies can play the most important role in the informed choices of OTC purchasers.