Health and Internet

The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 2009

Background: Amidst the rise of e-commerce, there has been a proliferation of illicit online pharmacies that threaten global patient safety by selling drugs without a prescription directly to the consumer. Despite this clear threat, little is known about the key risk characteristics, central challenges and current legal, regulatory and law enforcement responses.

2018

Abstract: The supply and demand of the information and availability of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs online has increased substantially. Customers express three typical online behaviours regarding OTC drugs: browsing information about OTC drugs without any particular purpose, searching for particular information or product, and buying OTC drugs. This study investigates the determinants of online behaviour regarding OTC drugs. Data were collected using a random sample of Slovenian citizens. Logistic regression method was used to determine which factors influence browsing, searching, and/or buying of OTC drugs online for two age groups: younger and older than 40. The findings suggest that intensity of internet usage, trust in buying OTC drugs online, as well as education, income and location influence online behaviour of customers regarding OTC drugs. It has been also found out that age has a moderating effect, indicating that younger and older customers are motivated by the different determinants. The theoretical and practical contributions of this paper are articulated to guide organizations and policy makers in terms of the strategies to increase internet marketing acceptance and use among the consumers of the OTC market. The core contribution is presenting the consumer behaviour models by incorporating the effect of different socioeconomic factors/characteristics.

Journal of Marketing Management, 2011

Asian Social Science, 2013

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2000

ABSTRACT The usage of social networking sites (SNS’s) by advertisers is paramount and the trend is on the rise. The approach of adopting SNS’s suits marketers’ objectives to reach and communicate their users and potential customers with relevant ads and personalized messages. This approach is expected to increase the value of advertising for both users and marketers in terms of profit and return on investment. However, research studies on SNS’s and how they are perceived by its users are relatively limited, especially how online factors influence users’ perceptions and attitudes towards advertising on SNS’s. This paper aims to examine the online factors that influence consumers’ perceptions and attitudes towards advertising on Facebook. A total of 350 respondents participated in the study. The results suggest that there are three online factors that significantly influence consumers’ attitudes towards advertising on Facebook. The factors are perceived interactivity, advertising avoidance and privacy. Surprisingly, credibility was not a significant factor predicting consumer’ attitudes towards advertising on Facebook. This paper provides some insights to advertisers into dimensions that may draw consumers’ favorable attitudes towards advertising on SNS’s, especially Facebook.

Drug and Alcohol Review, 2009

Health Research Board, …, 2008

This study aims at analyzing Tunisian behavior towards self-medication and at identifying factors of its practice. Data was collected using a questionnaire administered to health centers and pharmacies in the city of Tunis and analyzed using the SPSS software. Of the 264 respondents, 144, or 56%, have used drugs without prescription in the last six months. Men, young people, and those who lack knowledge about the risks of self-medication as well as healthy people, and those with low income and good health seem to indulge in self-medication. A logistic regression showed that the probability of consuming drugs without consulting a doctor increases when education level is high, health is good, medical knowledge is low, number of people in the family is high and income is low.