Medicines use among general public in Taif, KSA

Objectives: Patient practice toward medication including the extent of self-medication has an important impact on therapeutic outcome. Therefore, this study aimed to assess general public practice toward the usage of medicines in Taif city. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional research design using nonprobability convenience sampling technique was used in this study. Data were collected face-to-face from literate adults in public areas such as malls, shopping centers, and health centers. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and significant values of difference were determined using the Chi-square and Fisher Exact tests. Results: Nine hundred questionnaires were successfully collected from literate adults in Taif city over 8 weeks. Eighty percent of respondents tend to stop taking their medications once they feel good. In addition, only 62% of respondents refer to pharmacists or doctors once they feel unwell. On the other hand, one-fifth of respondents store their medications as directed by the pharmacist or as written in the drug leaflet. Furthermore, as little as 12% of respondents consult a doctor or a pharmacist once they miss their medication dose. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that public in Taif city has, to a certain extent, improper practice toward medicine. Thus, it is of urge for healthcare and policymakers to develop healthcare programs aiming to enhance practice of public toward medicines.