Influence of Educational Streams on Over the Counter (OTC) Drugs: Purchasing and Usage Behaviour

Abstract: An over the counter (OTC) drug can be purchased without any prescription. These drugs become popular due to their easy access and cost effectiveness and the self-medication practice is increasing day by day, especially among youth. People are taking many drugs without consultation or prescription for headache, cold & cough, pain etc. There are so many factors to study that what the consumers think while buying these OTC drugs. This paper investigates especially the effect of academic disciplines of students on the purchase and usage behaviour regarding over to counter (OTC) drugs. The study will assess a range of factors such as awareness level, frequency of use, sources of information and purchasing platforms with respect to the demographic and academic diversities. It explores the impact of academic backgrounds on self-medication practices, reliability on healthcare professionals, digital and social media. The study indicates the need to administered awareness programs and strategic initiatives to promote the safe use of OTC medications. Additionally, the study identifies behavioral differences in packaging engagement and purchasing channels across academic streams, contributing to safer usage of OTC drugs and supporting targeted awareness initiatives

OTC drugs, safe medication, academic disciplines, purchase behaviour

1. Adhikary, M., Tiwari, P., Singh, S., & Karoo, C. (2014). Study of self-medication practices and its determinant among college students of Delhi University North Campus, New Delhi, India. International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health, 3(4), 406-409. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Chakravarthy, S. A., & Maiya, G. R. (2021). Prevalence of self-medication and its associated factors among students of an engineering college in Chennai. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 10(3), 1204-1208. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Cîrstea, S. D., Moldovan-Teselios, C., & Iancu, A. I. (2017). Analysis of factors that influence OTC purchasing behaviour. In International Conference on Advancements of Medicine and Health Care through Technology; 12th-15th October 2016, Cluj-Napoca, Romania: MEDITECH 2016 (pp. 303-308). Springer International Publishing. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Dadhich, D., & Dixit, K. (2017). Consumer selection and buying behaviour towards over the counter (OTC) medicine in Jaipur City. Apeejay-Journal Manag Sci Technol, 4(2), 73-82. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Daniel, J. S. R., Prasanand, S., Joice, S., & Rani, P. J. (2019). Prevalence and practice of self-medication among undergraduate medical students and non-medical students in south India. International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, 8(3), 388. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Daxini, S. G., & Sheikh, M. P. M. H. (2023). Comparative Study on Consumer Buying Behaviour of B. Com. And M. Com. Students with Respect to Over the Counter (Otc) Drugs. Advance and Innovative Research, 38. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Dhingra, M., Kaur, M., Gupta, V. K., Sagar, B., Singla, N., Singh, S., & Ghosh, A. (2024). Comparative Analysis of Self-Medication Practices with Antibiotics Among Non-Medical and Medical College Students in India. National Journal of Community Medicine, 15(11), 970-979. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Goyal, A., Gaur, A., Chhabra, M., & Deepak, K. (2018). Knowledge, attitude and practices of Over the Counter (OTC) medicines among rural population-A cross sectional study. Asian J Pharm Pharmacol, 4(2), 227-31. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Habash, R., & Al-Dmour, H. (2020). Factors influencing the intention to buy over-the-counter medicines: empirical study. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, 14(2), 305-323. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Kamal, M., Negm, W. A., Abdelkader, A. M., Alshehri, A. A., Batiha, G., & Osama, H. (2023). Most common over-the-counter medications and effects on patients. European Review for Medical & Pharmacological Sciences, 27(4). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Lad, M., & Berad, N. (2014). A Study on Awareness & Perspective of Over-The-Counter (OTC) i.e. Non-Prescribed Drugs among Consumer's in Pune City. PARIDNYA-The MIBM Research Journal, 121-130. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Lalagkas, P. N., Poulentzas, G., Takaviti, A., Toursidou, Z., Tatsiou, T., Hadjipavlou-Litina, D., ... & Constantinides, T. (2022). Community attitudes and habits toward over-the-counter drugs: results of a study conducted in Thessaloniki, Greece. Value in Health Regional Issues, 28, 38-45. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Marathe, P. A., Kamat, S. K., Tripathi, R. K., Raut, S. B., & Khatri, N. P. (2020). Over-the-counter medicines: Global perspective and Indian scenario. Journal of postgraduate medicine, 66(1), 28-34. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Meher, B. R., Balan, S., & Pugazhentni, E. (2018). Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Over the Counter Drugs among Dispensers Working in the Retail Pharmacies of a South Indian City-A Cross-sectional Questionnaire Based Study. Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research, 12(1). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Mirza, N., & Ganguly, B. (2016). Utilization of medicines available at home by general population of rural and urban set up of Western India. Journal of clinical and diagnostic research: JCDR, 10(8), FC05. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Narang, P., Garg, V., & Sharma, A. (2023). Regulatory, safety and economic considerations of over-the-counter medicines in the Indian population. Discover Health Systems, 2(1), 17. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Panda, A., Pradhan, S., Mohapatro, G., & Kshatri, J. S. (2017). Predictors of over-the-counter medication: A cross-sectional Indian study. Perspectives in Clinical Research, 8(2), 79-84. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. PL, B., Krishnadas, A., Saji, A. M., Arab, A., Laltlanthangi, F., & Devi, M. (2019). A STUDY TO ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE ON OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS. European Journal of Biomedical, 6(10), 231-236. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Pujari, N. M., Sachan, A. K., Kumari, P., & Dubey, P. (2016). Study of consumer’s pharmaceutical buying behaviour towards prescription and non-prescription drugs. Journal of medical and health research, 1(3), 10-18. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Ray, I., Bardhan, M., Hasan, M. M., Sahito, A. M., Khan, E., Patel, S., ... & Swed, S. (2022). Over the counter drugs and self-medication: a worldwide paranoia and a troublesome situation in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Annals of Medicine and Surgery, 78. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Sehgal, M., & Mittal, A. (2019). Interplay between attitude and purchase intention: An empirical survey on over-the-counter (OTC) drugs consumer behaviour. SCOPUS IJPHRD CITATION SCORE, 10(6), 348. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Sharma, D., Gurung, D., Kafle, R., & Singh, S. (2017). Knowledge and practice on over-the-counter drugs among adults of age group 20 and above residing in Chapapani-12, Pokhara, Kaski, Nepal. Int J Sci Rep, 3(3), 79-86. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Shivakumar, M., & Jintu, J. (2021). Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Over-theCounter Drugs among Community Pharmacists. Manipal Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 7(1), 3. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Singh, N. K., Trivedi, N., Elnour, A. A., & Patel, I. (2015). Evaluation of knowledge, attitude and practice about self-medication among rural and urban north Indian population. Age, 18(30), 31-40. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Srivastava, R. K., & Wagh, S. (2018). Study of consumers' perception towards pharmaceutical over-the-counter products in emerging markets–India. International Journal of healthcare management, 11(1), 60-70. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Syed, N., Naseer, M., Memon, M. Q., & Rani, K. (2014). Prevalence of self-medication and its practice among the medical and non-medical students. JLUMHS, 13(02), 79. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Most Advanced Construction Material for Typical Boilers
• Nutrigenetic Impact of PEMT Gene Polymorphism Rs7946 On Choline Metabolism and Its Role in Personalised Nutrition
• Evaluating the Influence Factors of Media on Investor Sentiment Towards Stock Market Investments.
• To Compare the Effectiveness of Manual Traction and Mechanical Traction in Patient with Cervicogenic Headache
• Is Green Human Resource Management the Newest Trend or A Strategic Necessity?