Insights into the choice between self-medication and a doctor's prescription: a study of hay fever sufferers

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Abstract
Self-medication plays an increasingly important role in the health care systems of many countries. In the United Kingdom (UK) this is reflected in the current policy of deregulating increasing numbers of prescription-only medicines (POM) to pharmacy medicines (P). The purpose of the work described in this paper was to explore factors affecting clients' choice to self-medicate or to contact their doctor for the treatment of a minor ailment, namely, hay fever. Structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 36 clients recruited through community pharmacies. The main themes investigated were clients' reasons for choosing their particular management option and their attitudes towards the increasing number of OTC medicines and towards self-medication. For clients who obtained the medicine through their doctor, the most common reason for doing so was cost. For clients who obtained their medicine over the counter, the incentive to self-medicate was convenience. Payment for or exemption from prescription charges was a major factor. Many clients mentioned potential risks involved in self-medication and the need for appropriate information. However, clients drew differing conclusions on these issues, reflecting either a negative or a positive attitude towards self-medication.