Health literacy and attitudes towards rational medication use among adults: a descriptive study in community pharmacies

The aim of the study was to assess health literacy and attitudes towards rational medication use among adults in community pharmacies. This descriptive study was conducted among individuals aged 18 and over who visited community pharmacies (n=3) for any reason. The Turkish version of the Short-Form Health Literacy Instrument and Individuals’ Attitudes Towards Rational Medication Use Questionnaire were evaluated. A total of 300 participants were included in the study. Of them, 21.7% agreed to stop using antibiotics immediately if they felt better while taking them. 31.6% agreed to measure doses of cough syrup for a child with a tablespoon. 20.7% agreed not to tell their physician about the herbal or dietary supplements they took. 21.4% agreed that they did not pay much attention to the timing of their medications other than antibiotics. There were significant differences in the scores for each domain and the total questionnaire score for attitudes towards rational medication use according to participants’ sex and years of education (p<0.05). Scores in the self-reported misuse of medications domain and the total questionnaire score were higher in participants who had a prescribed medication than in those who did not (p<0.05). No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of the Short-Form Health Literacy Instrument scores (p>0.05). Almost one in five participants had negative attitudes towards the rational use of medication. This was particularly evident among men, those with lower levels of education, and those who were not taking any prescribed medication. Personalised, pharmacist-led interventions should be implemented to promote rational medication use among these groups.