Table 3.

Characteristics of buying OTC drugs by respondents

Feature	UHS/UPP		UTA		p-value	Females		Males		p-value	≤70 years		≥71 years		p-value
	n	%	n	%		n	%	n	%		n	%	n	%
OTC drug recipients
I buy them for myself	65	76.47	60	70.59	0.651	102	76.12	23	63.89	0.248	106	72.60	19	79.17	0.524
I buy them for relatives (family)	4	4.71	6	7.06		8	5.97	2	5.56		8	5.48	2	8.33
I buy them for myself and for my family	16	18.82	19	22.35		24	17.91	11	30.56		32	21.92	3	12.50
Total	85	100.00	85	100.00		134	100.00	36	100.00		146	100.00	24	100.00
Place to buy OTC drugs**
Pharmacy	83	97.65	81	95.29	0.678	128	95.52	36	100.00	0.433	142	97.26	22	91.67	0.169
Small grocery store	3	3.53	14	16.47	0.005*	11	8.21	6	16.67	0.133	15	10.27	2	8.33	0.941
Supermarket	2	2.35	6	7.06	0.277	6	4.48	2	5.56	0.863	8	5.48	0	0.00	0.513
Frequency of buying OTC drugs
Once a week or more often	2	2.35	0	0.00	0.964	2	1.49	0	0.00	0.654	2	1.37	0	0.00	0.231
Once every 2 weeks	6	7.06	9	10.59		11	8.21	4	11.11		13	8.90	2	8.33
Once a month	26	30.59	23	27.06		38	28.36	11	30.56		43	29.45	6	25.00
Once every 3 months	18	21.18	24	28.24		33	24.63	9	25.00		37	25.34	5	20.83
Less frequently than once every 3 months	32	37.65	25	29.41		46	34.33	11	30.56		49	33.56	8	33.33
I don’t buy OTC drugs	1	1.18	4	4.71		4	2.99	1	2.78		2	1.37	3	12.50
Total	85	100.00	85	100.00		134	100.00	36	100.00		146	100.00	24	100.00
Reasons for buying OTC drugs
Headache	29	34.12	33	38.82	0.524	51	38.06	11	30.56	0.406	56	38.36	6	25.00	0.208
Fever	11	12.94	8	9.41	0.465	14	10.45	5	13.89	0.561	17	11.64	2	8.33	0.633
Cold	47	55.29	45	52.94	0.758	72	53.73	20	55.56	0.845	80	54.79	12	50.00	0.662
Pain and sore throat	24	28.24	22	25.88	0.730	33	24.63	13	36.11	0.169	40	27.40	6	25.00	0.806
Muscle and joint pain	28	32.94	30	35.29	0.746	41	30.60	17	47.22	0.062	51	34.93	7	29.17	0.581
Cough	13	15.29	21	24.71	0.125	30	22.39	4	11.11	0.133	32	21.92	2	8.33	0.123
Gastrointestinal disorders	18	21.18	20	23.53	0.713	31	23.13	7	19.44	0.637	31	21.23	7	29.17	0.387
Migraine	8	9.41	3	3.53	0.119	9	6.72	2	5.56	0.896	10	6.85	1	4.17	0.621
Allergy	8	9.41	9	10.59	0.798	12	8.96	5	13.89	0.381	14	9.59	3	12.50	0.660
Cystitis	8	9.41	7	8.24	0.787	13	9.70	2	5.56	0.436	9	6.16	6	25.00	0.003*
Factors determining the decision to buy OTC drugs**
Possibility to buy right away (immediately)	40	47.06	38	44.71	0.758	61	45.52	17	47.22	0.856	65	44.52	13	54.17	0.379
Efficacy of drugs	22	25.88	28	32.94	0.313	38	28.36	12	33.33	0.561	47	32.19	3	12.50	0.050*
A pharmacist’s professional advice	30	35.29	21	24.71	0.132	41	30.60	10	27.78	0.743	44	30.14	7	29.17	0.923
Price	8	9.41	10	11.76	0.618	15	11.19	3	8.33	0.620	17	11.64	1	4.17	0.270
Point of purchase, proximity to the place of residence	5	5.88	10	11.76	0.176	9	6.72	6	16.67	0.062	12	8.22	3	12.50	0.493
A friend’s recommendation	6	7.06	9	10.59	0.417	10	7.46	5	13.89	0.227	14	9.59	1	4.17	0.385
Lack of need for consulting the purchased product with a pharmacist	6	7.06	9	10.59	0.417	61	45.52	17	47.22	0.856	65	44.52	13	54.17	0.379
Access to OTC drugs
Only in pharmacies	67	78.82	52	61.18	0.012*	95	70.90	24	66.67	0.623	100	68.49	19	100	0.290
Should be available at other points of sale	18	21.18	33	38.82		39	29.10	12	33.33		46	31.51	5	46
Total	85	100.00	85	100.00		134	100.00	36	100.00		146	100.00	24	100.00

Notes:

^*Statistically significant value;

^**multiple choice question.

Abbreviations: OTC, over-the-counter; UHS, University of a Healthy Senior; UPP, University of Psychogeriatric Prophylaxis; UTA, University of the Third Age.