Table 2.
COTC-related perceptions and preventive practices among users (n=789)
| Response choices | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |
Agree |
Not sure |
Disagree |
| Perceived benefits |
|||
| At least as effective as western drugs |
31.9% |
22.8% |
45.2% |
| Less side effects than western drug |
69.1% |
15.7% |
15.2% |
| Cheaper than western drug |
37.4% |
18.8% |
43.9% |
| Help reduce medical costs |
42.1% |
17.9% |
39.9% |
| Safer than western drugs |
39.4% |
21.3% |
39.3% |
| Helps people to stay healthy |
54.9% |
21.4% |
23.6% |
| Perceived severity |
|
|
|
| COTC poisoning is more serious than for western drugs* |
34.2% |
42.7% |
22.9% |
| COTC poisoning due to drug interaction could be fatal |
82.8% |
12.0% |
5.2% |
| COTC overdose could result in hospitalization |
87.5% |
7.7% |
4.8% |
| Perceived susceptibility |
|
|
|
| Easy to misuse COTC due to unclear instruction |
33.8% |
5.9% |
60.4% |
| I am likely to experience COTC-related side effects |
9.9% |
8.4% |
81.7% |
| I am likely to experience drug interactions with COTC |
37.6% |
24.8% |
37.6% |
| Government has adequate regulation for COTC safety* |
15.0% |
20.6% |
64.5% |
| Perceived barriers |
|
|
|
| Making TCM doctor appointments for COTC advice is inconvenient |
27.2% |
31.7% |
41.1% |
| TCM prescriptions are expensive |
36.9% |
25.5% |
37.6% |
| Easy to find COTC information on the internet |
16.2% |
62.4% |
21.4% |
| Physicians do not have reliable knowledge about COTC |
71.8% |
16.9% |
11.3% |
| Pharmacists do not have reliable COTC knowledge |
65.3% |
17.8% |
16.9% |
| COTC package instructions are inadequate or unclear |
42.9% |
18.1% |
39.0% |
| Preventive practices** |
Habitually |
Occasionally |
Never |
| Read COTC labels |
66.8% |
24.0% |
9.3% |
| Read COTC package inserts |
55.9% |
32.0% |
12.2% |
| Ask COTC information from retailers |
13.2% |
35.7% |
51.1% |
| Search online for COTC information |
3.9% |
15.6% |
80.5% |
| Ask Western MDs or pharmacists about COTC use |
3.3% |
12.6% |
84.2% |
| Tell their medical doctor about TCM use |
33.2% |
20.6% |
46.2% |
| Asked TCM practitioner about COTC | 8.1% | 22.0% | 69.9% |
*Item not included in summative scale score due to low item-total correlation.
**Original 5-point Likert responses were recoded as: Habitually (Always or Often), Occasionally (Sometimes or Seldom) and Never due to small cell counts.