@article {43, title = {Knowledge, Beliefs and Factors Affecting the Use of Generic Medicines among Patients in Ibb, Yemen: A Mixed-method Study}, journal = {Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine}, volume = {6}, year = {2020}, month = {January 2021}, pages = {53-56}, type = {Research Article}, chapter = {53}, abstract = {

Objectives: This study was aimed to explore the knowledge and beliefs of patients in Ibb, Yemen, regarding generic medicines and identify factors affecting their use of these medicines. Methods: A mixed qualitative and quantitative study was conducted between Jan 1 and Mar 31, 2017 in Ibb, Yemen. A total of 310 patients participated in this study. The questionnaire used for data collection comprised of two sections. The first section covered participants{\textquoteright} demographic information and contained six questions addressing patients{\textquoteright} ability to differentiate between generic and brand-name medications. The second section comprises 15 items regarding patients{\textquoteright} beliefs about generic medicines, answered using a five-point Likert scale. Additionally, seven patients were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide to explore further the factors affecting their generic medicine use. Results: Only 17.4\% of patients knew the difference between generic and brand-name medicines. Approximately 59 (19\%) patients believed that generic medicines{\textquoteright} efficacy was the same as that of brand-name medicines, while 42 (13.5\%) believed that generic medicines took longer to take effect. The vast majority of patients (252) (81.3\%) believed that generic medicines were appropriate for less serious medical conditions. Only 84 patients (27.1\%) believed that generic medications were the same as brand-name ones. Furthermore, the majority of patients held negative beliefs about generic medicines. The study also found that the price of medicines, physicians{\textquoteright} recommendations, and pharmacy dispensers contributed to patients{\textquoteright} use of generic medications. Conclusion: This study found that Yemen patients have insufficient knowledge of and negative beliefs about generic medicines. Special oriented and well-designed programs to educate and improve patients and healthcare professionals{\textquoteright} understanding and beliefs about generic medicines are urgently needed.

}, keywords = {Beliefs, Brand-name medicine, Generic medicine, Knowledge, Yemen}, doi = {10.5530/jppcm.2020.4.16}, author = {Yaser Mohammed Al-Worafi and Wafa Mohammed Alseragi and Khaled Mohamed Alakhali and Long Chiau Ming and Gamil Othman and Abdulsalam M Halboup and Sultan M. Alshahrani and Sami Mustafa Alshakhshir and Abdulkareem Mohammed Al-Shami and Majid Ali and Mansour Adam and Syed Wajid and Ramadan Mohamed Elkalmi} }