Published online May 6, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i13.2956
Peer-review started: August 1, 2022
First decision: October 24, 2022
Revised: November 9, 2022
Accepted: April 4, 2023
Article in press: April 4, 2023
Published online: May 6, 2023
Processing time: 193 Days and 0.8 Hours
Medication misuse or overuse is significantly associated with poor health outcomes. Information regarding the knowledge, cultural beliefs, and behavior about medication safety in the general population is important.
To conduct a survey on medication habits and explored the potential factors impacting medication safety.
The current survey included adults from 18 districts and counties in Harbin, China. A questionnaire on medication safety was designed based on knowledge, cultural beliefs, and behavior. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were used to explore the factors that impacted medication safety.
A total of 394 respondents completed the questionnaires on medication safety. The mean scores for knowledge, cultural beliefs, and behavior about medication safety were 59.41 ± 19.33, 40.66 ± 9.24, and 60.97 ± 13.69, respectively. The medication knowledge score was affected by age (P = 0.044), education (P < 0.001), and working status (P = 0.015). Moreover, the cultural beliefs score was significantly affected by education (P < 0.001). Finally, education (P = 0.003) and working status (P = 0.011) significantly affected the behavior score.
The knowledge, cultural beliefs, and behavior about medication safety among the general population was moderate. Health education should be provisioned for the elderly, individuals with a low education level, and the unemployed to improve medication safety in Harbin, China.
Core Tip: Despite its importance, little work has been done to understand the knowledge, cultural beliefs, and behavior around medication safety among the public. To conduct a survey on medication habits and explored the potential factors impacting medication safety. This study described the knowledge, cultural beliefs, and behavior around medication safety in the general population of Harbin, China, and identified factors that impact these aspects.