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Volume 12 Issue 4 ( October-December ) 2023

Original Articles

Awareness regarding E-pharmacy among Kashmiri population
Dr. Saima Bashir, Dr. Iram Kehkashan, Dr. Hibba Dar, Dr. Zuryat, Dr. Samina Farhat

Background: The rapid expansion of e-commerce has ushered in a new era of online drug retail, encompassing a wide spectrum of medications. While online pharmacies offer numerous benefits, concerns regarding safety persist. Notably, there is a lack of research on consumer attitudes toward online pharmacies in the Kashmir region of India.This study seeks to address this gap by investigating customer perceptions and awareness of online pharmacy services in the Kashmir region. Objectives: To assess the knowledge about e pharmacy among educated Kashmiri population and to figure out the possible factors influencing the online purchase of drugs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out using an online questionnaire forwarded to a random convenience sample of 428 participants through various social media platforms (whatsapp, facebook, etc). Results: A majority of the participants were females (62.6%) in the age group of 31-40 years (48.1%). Healthcare professionals constituted a substantial portion of the participants (23.5%).About two-thirds expressed a desire to purchase medicines online, with educational background influencing this choice. The safety of online pharmacies was viewed positively by more than half of the participants (53.7%). Furthermore, respondents were attracted to online pharmacies primarily by timely delivery (25.8%), reduced physical visits (24.4%), and discounts (21.7%). The availability of drugs not found in local pharmacies was particularly appealing to certain occupational groups, such as government employees (61.9%) and healthcare professionals (41.6%). Doubts about the quality of medicines (41.6%) and concerns about trustworthy websites (30.93%) were reasons that hindered online medicine purchases. Conclusion: Awareness towards online pharmacies was prevalent in a major portion of our participants, however, half of our respondents said that they had never purchased medicines online. Although online pharmacy can serve as a convenient tool of the modern era due to its considerable ease and accessibility, it should be approached with caution and regulations should be brought into effect that would safeguard the public from potential hazards associated with unregulated access, discounted offers and anonymity, which can be prevalent when utilizing online pharmacy services.

 
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