. 2018 Apr 10;13:623–632. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S158501

Table 6.

Respondents’ preferences and attitudes on the safety of OTC drug use

Feature	UHS/UPP		UTA		p-value	Females		Males		p-value	≤70 years		≥71 years		p-value
Feature	n	%	n	%	p-value	n	%	n	%	p-value	n	%	n	%	p-value
Consulting treatment method with a doctor or pharmacist					0.373					0.452					0.006^*
Always or almost always	21	24.71	19	22.35		28	20.90	12	33.33		28	19.18	12	50.00
Often	15	17.65	24	28.24		31	23.13	8	22.22		37	25.34	2	8.33
Depending on the symptoms – sometimes I ask for advice, sometimes I don’t	37	43.53	29	34.12		53	39.55	13	36.11		60	41.10	6	25.00
Rarely	4	4.71	7	8.24		9	6.72	2	5.56		8	5.48	3	12.50
Never or rarely	8	9.41	6	7.06		13	9.70	1	2.78		13	8.90	1	4.17
Familiarizing oneself with the drug information leaflet					0.822					0.179					0.633
Yes, every time	47	55.29	49	57.65		78	58.21	18	50.00		80	54.79	16	66.67
Sometimes or only the leaflets for drugs I do not know	26	30.59	28	32.94		42	31.34	12	33.33		49	33.56	5	20.83
Rarely	9	10.59	6	7.06		12	8.96	3	8.33		13	8.90	2	8.33
I never read the leaflet	3	3.53	2	2.35		2	1.49	3	8.33		4	2.74	1	4.17
Statement assessment: “Intake of active substances in higher doses than recommended can pose an immediate threat to human life or health”					0.963					0.403					0.624
Definitely yes	43	50.59	43	50.59		70	52.24	16	44.44		71	48.63	15	62.50
Rather yes	31	36.47	33	38.82		51	38.06	13	36.11		57	39.04	7	29.17
Yes and no – depends on the person	7	8.24	6	7.06		8	5.97	5	13.89		12	8.22	1	4.17
I have no opinion	4	4.71	3	3.53		5	3.73	2	5.56		6	4.11	1	4.17
Familiarity with drug disposal methods					0.011^*					0.014^*					0.392
Yes	72	84.71	58	68.24		108	80.60	22	61.11		110	75.34	20	83.33
No	13	15.29	27	31.76		26	19.40	14	38.89		36	24.66	4	16.67
How to proceed with expired or unnecessary drugs					0.014^*					0.029^*					0.088
Always or almost always I bring them back to a pharmacy or clinic	42	49.41	30	35.29		63	47.01	9	25.00		57	39.04	15	62.50
Sometimes I bring them back to a pharmacy or clinic	33	38.82	30	35.29		48	35.82	15	41.67		58	39.73	5	20.83
I do not bring them back/throw away	10	11.76	25	29.41		23	17.16	12	33.33		31	21.23	4	16.67
Total	85	100.00	85	100.00		134	100.00	36	100.00		146	100.00	24	100.00

Note:

Statistically significant value.

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