Study Backgrounder: The Attitudes and Beliefs About Over-The-Counter Medicine Usage

Methodology

A national survey of 1,171 Canadians aged 18 and older who had taken a non-prescription medication in the past six months was conducted by Decima Research Inc. between January 18 and January 27, 2002, with a confidence level of +/- 2.86%, 19 times out of 20.

Purpose of the study

To evaluate Canadians' attitudes and behaviours when it comes to over-the-counter medicines.

Main finding

When Canadians were asked specifically what they read on the labels of non-prescription medications, many admit to not reading and following all the directions on the label of their over-the-counter medicine.

The context

Among Canadians 18 years of age and older, non-prescription medication use is very common - 58% report taking a non-prescription medication in the last six months (about 14 million adults).

Non-prescription medicines are very safe when taken as directed. But, like prescription medications, may cause serious adverse reactions when labelled directions are not closely followed.

The specific findings

Only one-third (34%) of Canadians compare the medicinal (active) ingredients of different medications they take to see if any are the same.

• Young adults - those aged 18 to 24 - are least likely to compare ingredients (20%).
• Women are more likely to compare active ingredients than men (37% vs. 30%).
• Among respondents who did compare ingredients, only two-thirds (64%) actually added up the totals of the active ingredients to ensure they didn't exceed the maximum recommended daily dose.

More than half of Canadians (54%) could not name the medicinal (active) ingredient in the non-prescription headache medication they use most often.

• This lack of knowledge is even greater among those 18 to 24 years of age (63%) and those 55 years and older (67%).
• Only 31% of Advil® brand users were aware of the main ingredient - Ibuprofen.
• Only about one in six frequent users of Aspirin® could identify the active ingredient - acetylsalicylic acid.
• Interestingly, 21% of Aspirin® users incorrectly named acetaminophen as the main ingredient in Aspirin®.
• Only about one-third (34%) of people who use TYLENOL® brand products most frequently for headaches were able to name the main active ingredient - acetaminophen - without prompting.

Most consumers don't seek full information when they buy non-prescription medication.

• 40% say they read what the active ingredients are, 34% read the dosage level, 26% read the symptoms it treats, 23% read possible side effects, and 18% read directions for usage.
• 11% of adults 55 and older claim to read nothing at all when purchasing a non-prescription medication for the first time.
• More women than men are concerned about dosage level (39% vs. 29%) and the active ingredient (45% vs. 33%) when they buy non-prescription medication.

Only one out of ten respondents (10%) claims to look at warnings about usage with other non-prescription medications, either when buying the medicine or taking it for the first time.

43% of young adults (18 to 34 years old) say they are likely to take more than one non-prescription medication at the same time, if they have more than one symptom.

• On average, about one-third of adults of all ages are willing to take more than one non-prescription medication at the same time.
• This works out to about 5 million adults who are willing to take more than one non-prescription medication simultaneously.

Nearly one in three (31%) of adults aged 18 to 24 claim to have taken more than the recommended number of pills at a single time.

• That's compared with a national average of 16 percent, or one in six adults.
• Asked why they took more than the recommended dose, 31% said they believed it would bring relief quickly. Another third (32%) said they took more medicine than recommended because their symptoms were severe, and about one-quarter said it was because they didn't feel any better after taking the recommended dosage.

Nearly 35% of Canadians - 5 million adults - take the next dose of their non-prescription medication sooner than directed on the label.

• This is most common among younger Canadians, aged 18 to 24 (45%).
• 20% of adults 55 and older said they do this.

27% of adults aged 18 to 24 say they have taken more than the number of recommended dosages per day.

• This compares with a national average of 15%.
• Adults 55 and older are least likely to exceed the recommended number of daily doses.

Fewer than half of respondents (44%) would re-read the labels on their non-prescription medications when thinking about taking more than one at the same time.

• This is even lower among adults 55 and older - only 34% would re-read the label if taking two non-prescription medications together (27% of men, 39% of women).
• 60% of respondents would re-read the label when thinking about mixing a non-prescription with a prescription medication.
• 60% would re-read the label if they haven't read it in a long time (close to three-quarters of women 18 to 34 years of age, and 53% of men).
• 69% of respondents would re-read a label when giving a non-prescription medication to a child.

Western Canadians exhibit the most inappropriate behaviour when it comes to following labeled directions on non-prescription medications.

• 23% say they have taken more than the recommended number of pills at a time (national average is 16%), 44% have taken the next dosage sooner than directed on the label (national average is 35%), and 19% have taken more than the recommended number of daily doses (national average is 15%).

On average, Canadians took about 1.4 different prescription and non-prescription medications in the last month.

• Three-quarters (76%) used non-prescription medication to relieve pain.
• About two-thirds (67%) took it for cough, cold, flu, sore throat, backache or menstrual pain.
• About one-third (35%) took non-prescription medications for heartburn, indigestion or other stomach problems. This is much more common among older Canadians (43% among those 55 and older).
• Age is a major discriminator of use - only 48% of those 55 or older have taken a non-prescription medication in the past 6 months, compared to 62% among those younger than 55.
• 41% of women have taken both a non-prescription medication and a prescription medication in the past six months, compared to only 27% of men. Women are more likely to mix the two kinds of medication.

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