Patients’ Perceptions and Preferences: A Study on Medicine Use in Quetta, Balochistan, with a Focus on Multinational and Locally Manufactured Medicines
This study aimed to explore patients’ perceptions and preferences regarding the use of medicines in Quetta, Balochistan, including their views on multinational and locally manufactured medicines and their satisfaction with treatments. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from April to September 2016 in the private sector hospitals of Quetta. The results showed that 88.8% (n=476) of patients found the cost of medicines to be high. Most patients (67.5%, n=362) preferred affordable medicines, and 85.5% (n=458) believed the cost should be considered before prescribing medication. Additionally, 64.7% (n=347) preferred famous brand medicines, while 62.7% (n=336) preferred locally manufactured medicines, which they believed would be cost-effective. The majority (84.4%, n=452) of patients disagreed with the idea that patients did not care if pharmacists substituted their prescribed medicines with locally manufactured drugs. More than half of the patients (51.4%, n=276) believed they should have the choice of selecting between local and multinational medicines, and 62.8% (n=337) believed doctors should ask about their drug preferences. The results showed a significant statistical relationship between patients’ age, marital status, monthly income, education level, locality, occupation, medicine expenses, amount of Medicine prescribed, and diagnosis/condition (P<0.05). Patients’ negative perceptions of local medicines were primarily due to limited availability and their belief that they were of lower quality than multinational medicines. Patients’ involvement in decision-making could lead to more effective interventions and better health outcomes. The insights from patients in this survey can guide policymakers in Pakistan to promote the use of locally manufactured medicines and make them more cost-effective for patients.
Keywords: patients, use of medicines, perception, preference, local medicine substitution, multinational Medicine, cost, patients’ treatment satisfaction.
