Prevalence of Antibiotic Purchase Online and Associated Factors Among Chinese Residents: A Nationwide Community Survey of 2019

doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.761086

. 2021 Nov 3:12:761086.

doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.761086. eCollection 2021.

Prevalence of Antibiotic Purchase Online and Associated Factors Among Chinese Residents: A Nationwide Community Survey of 2019

Na Sun¹, Yanhong Gong¹, Jiaming Liu¹, Jianxiong Wu¹, Rongrong An¹, Yue Dong¹, Yi Zhu¹, Ketao Mu², Guopeng Zhang³, Xiaoxv Yin¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
² Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
³ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

PMID: 34803704
PMCID: PMC8595837
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.761086

Prevalence of Antibiotic Purchase Online and Associated Factors Among Chinese Residents: A Nationwide Community Survey of 2019

Na Sun et al. Front Pharmacol. 2021.

. 2021 Nov 3:12:761086.

doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.761086. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Na Sun¹, Yanhong Gong¹, Jiaming Liu¹, Jianxiong Wu¹, Rongrong An¹, Yue Dong¹, Yi Zhu¹, Ketao Mu², Guopeng Zhang³, Xiaoxv Yin¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
² Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
³ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

PMID: 34803704
PMCID: PMC8595837
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.761086

Abstract

Introduction: Online sales of antibiotics have increased public access to these medicines. This study aimed to analyze the online antibiotic purchase behavior of the Chinese residents and identify its associated factors. Methods: We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional online survey among Chinese community residents from January 20 to February 28, 2019. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on their sociodemographic characteristics, health-related variables, and the online antibiotic purchase behavior in the past 3 months. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were used. The statistical analyses were performed using SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc.). Results: A total of 101,120 respondents were included in the analysis. The weighted prevalence of antibiotic purchase online was 3.71% (95% CI, 3.53-3.88%). Residents who purchased antibiotics online were more likely to be older (age≥65 years), be a male, live in rural areas, have a higher education level, report an excellent economic status, suffer from chronic diseases, and search for health information on the internet. Conclusion: Numerous residents had purchased antibiotics online in the past 3 months throughout China. We should pay more attention to this behavior. There is a need to strengthen regulation of antibiotic sales online and improve public education on antibiotic purchase online. More comprehensive information on antibiotic purchase online as well as the advantages and disadvantages of online sales of antibiotics should be investigated in the future studies.

Keywords: antibiotic; associated factor; behavior; national prevalence; online purchase.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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[1] Atkinson N. L., Saperstein S. L., Pleis J. (2009). Using the Internet for Health-Related Activities: Findings from a National Probability Sample. J. Med. Internet Res. 11 (1), e4. 10.2196/jmir.1035 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Atkinson N. L., Saperstein S. L., Pleis J. (2009). Using the Internet for Health-Related Activities: Findings from a National Probability Sample. J. Med. Internet Res. 11 (1), e4. 10.2196/jmir.1035 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Baker L., Wagner T. H., Singer S., Bundorf M. K. (2003). Use of the Internet and E-Mail for Health Care Information: Results from a National Survey. JAMA 289 (18), 2400–2406. 10.1001/jama.289.18.2400 - DOI - PubMed

[4] Baker L., Wagner T. H., Singer S., Bundorf M. K. (2003). Use of the Internet and E-Mail for Health Care Information: Results from a National Survey. JAMA 289 (18), 2400–2406. 10.1001/jama.289.18.2400 - DOI - PubMed

[5] Beijing: Weiming Penguin (2019). Drug Sale in the Three Key Market Terminals of China in 2018 Was 1 713 Trillion, Increased by 6.3%. Available at: http://dy.163.com/v2/article/detail/E9LPFRL50518TH54.html (Accessed October 13, 2021).

[6] Beijing: Weiming Penguin (2019). Drug Sale in the Three Key Market Terminals of China in 2018 Was 1 713 Trillion, Increased by 6.3%. Available at: http://dy.163.com/v2/article/detail/E9LPFRL50518TH54.html (Accessed October 13, 2021).

[7] Bianco A., Licata F., Zucco R., Papadopoli R., Pavia M. (2020). Knowledge and Practices Regarding Antibiotics Use: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey Among Italian Adults. Evol. Med. Public Health 2020 (1), 129–138. 10.1093/emph/eoaa028 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] Bianco A., Licata F., Zucco R., Papadopoli R., Pavia M. (2020). Knowledge and Practices Regarding Antibiotics Use: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey Among Italian Adults. Evol. Med. Public Health 2020 (1), 129–138. 10.1093/emph/eoaa028 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Bowman C., Family H., Agius-Muscat H., Cordina M., Sutton J. (2020). Consumer Internet Purchasing of Medicines Using a Population Sample: A Mixed Methodology Approach. Res. Soc. Adm. Pharm. 16 (6), 819–827. 10.1016/j.sapharm.2019.09.056 - DOI - PubMed

[10] Bowman C., Family H., Agius-Muscat H., Cordina M., Sutton J. (2020). Consumer Internet Purchasing of Medicines Using a Population Sample: A Mixed Methodology Approach. Res. Soc. Adm. Pharm. 16 (6), 819–827. 10.1016/j.sapharm.2019.09.056 - DOI - PubMed

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Prevalence of Antibiotic Purchase Online and Associated Factors Among Chinese Residents: A Nationwide Community Survey of 2019

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Prevalence of Antibiotic Purchase Online and Associated Factors Among Chinese Residents: A Nationwide Community Survey of 2019

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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