Background: The choices for self-medication in Hong Kong are much diversified, including western and Chinese\r\nmedicines and food supplements. This study was to examine Hong Kong public knowledge, attitudes and\r\nbehaviours regarding self-medication, self-care and the role of pharmacists in self-care.\r\nMethods: A cross-sectional phone survey was conducted, inviting people aged 18 or older to complete a 37-item\r\nquestionnaire that was developed based on the Thematic Household surveys in Hong Kong, findings of the health\r\nprorfessional focus group discussions on pharmacist-led patient self management and literature. Telephone\r\nnumbers were randomly selected from residential phone directories. Trained interviewers invited eligible persons to\r\nparticipate using the ââ?¬Å?last birthday methodââ?¬Â. Associations of demographic characteristics with knowledge, attitudes\r\nand beliefs on self-medication, self-care and role of pharmacists, and spending on over-the-counter (OTC) products\r\nwere analysed statistically.\r\nResults: A total of 1, 560 phone calls were successfully made and 1, 104 respondents completed the survey which\r\nindicated a response rate of 70.8%. 63.1% had adequate knowledge on using OTC products. Those who had no\r\nformal education/had attended primary education (OR = 3.19, 95%CI 1.78-5.72; p < 0.001), had attended secondary\r\neducation (OR = 1.50, 95%CI 1.03-2.19; p = 0.035), and aged =60 years (OR = 1.82, 95% CI 1.02-3.26; p = 0.042)\r\nwere more likely to have inadequate knowledge on self-medication. People with chronic disease also tended to\r\nspend more than HKD100 on western (OR = 3.58, 95%CI 1.58-8.09; p = 0.002) and Chinese OTC products (OR =\r\n2.94, 95%CI 1.08-7.95; p = 0.034). 94.6% believed that patients with chronic illnesses should self-manage their\r\ndiseases. 68% agreed that they would consult a pharmacist before using OTC product but only 45% agreed that\r\npharmacists could play a leading role in self-care. Most common reasons against pharmacist consultation on selfmedication\r\nand self-care were uncertainty over the role of pharmacists and low acceptance level of pharmacists.\r\nConclusions: The majority of respondents supported patients with chronic illness to self-manage their diseases but\r\nless than half agreed to use a pharmacist-led approach in self-care. The government should consider developing\r\ndoctors-pharmacists partnership programs in the community, enhancing the role of pharmacists in primary care and\r\nproviding education to patients to improve their awareness on the role of pharmacists in self-medication and self-care.
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