의약품 표시와 소비자능력

Abstract

This study examined how much of the information on the packaging of over the counter medicine consumers understood and used for rational decision making, and analyzed if there was any difference in the consumer’s competency to understand the information provided on the medication according to personal characteristics. The results are as follows;First, consumers gave correct answers to 3.82 questions on average out of 10 questions regarding the information on medication, which means consumers’ overall knowledge level is low. Second, to find out the consumer’ attitudes on the information on medication, the usefulness, reliability,and understanding of information were evaluated. The usefulness score was the highest at 3.87, followed by the importance score at 3.82, reliability score at 3.56, and the understanding score at 3.37. It means consumers’ understanding is lower than other areas of consumer attitudes. Third, to find out consumer behaviors regarding the information on medication, consumers’ information check and utilization behaviors were evaluated. The information check score was 3.31 and utilization score was 3.36, and the utilization score was slightly higher than the check score. Fourth, the correlations between consumer knowledge, attitude and behavior were examined. The correlation between consumer knowledge and attitude was .070, that between consumer knowledge and behavior was .127, and that between consumer attitude and behavior was .708. The correlation between consumer attitude and behavior was higher than other correlations. Lastly, the analysis of consumer’s competency according to personal and health variables showed that the average consumer knowledge score increased in proportion to years of education and age, The average consumer attitude score also increased in proportion to age, years of education, status of health, and interest in health. And the average consumer behavior score increased in proportion to age, status of health, and interest in health.