Created on : 04.02.2025 Last modified : 04.02.2025

Managing minor ailments and pharmacy services: how do people make their decisions?

Switzerland, 2023

DDP

Reference ID

10.16909-dataset-56

Producer(s)

Jérôme Berger

Collections

Department of Ambulatory Care (DDP)

Metadata

Identification

Survey ID number

10.16909-dataset-56

Title

Managing minor ailments and pharmacy services: how do people make their decisions?

Translated Title

Exploration des préférences de la population romande dans la gestion de symptômes fréquents

Country

Name	Country code
Switzerland	CH

Abstract

Background
Healthcare costs and shortages of healthcare professionals are challenges for healthcare systems. Optimal resource allocation is needed, notably in the management of minor ailments. Community pharmacy services (e.g. minor ailment schemes) are often underused by the population. This study aims to explore the decision-making process when people are managing minor ailments: What criteria influence their choices among the management options? What is their level of information and willingness to use and pay for pharmacy services?

Methods
In this cross-sectional online survey, participants were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire (convenience sampling) from 07.11.2023 to 08.12.2023. The questionnaire explored general decision-making process in minor ailment management through three clinical scenarios, factors influencing whether to choose pharmacy services to manage minor ailments, as well as public knowledge about three pharmacy services in Switzerland and their willingness to use and pay for them.

Results
The proportion of valid questionnaires was 99.8% (508/514). Perceived severity of symptoms and time to deal with symptoms were the most important criteria in making the management decision. The more serious the symptoms were perceived, the less the pharmacy and self-medication were privileged. Respondent's decision about whether to go to the pharmacy when dealing with minor ailments depended mainly on the perceived staff's skills and direct access to medicines. Pharmacy services were little known by the public. Respondents were more willing to use autonomous prescribing than other services, with low willingness to pay out of their pocket.

Conclusions
This study shows that respondents are willing to use pharmacy services to manage minor ailments but are unaware of their existence and have low willingness to pay. Communication and uniformization of pharmacy services are needed, as well as the identification of right incentives to achieve the political goal of adequate orientation in the healthcare system when managing minor ailments.

Kind of Data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Unit of Analysis

Individuals

Version

Version Date

Scope

Keywords

Community pharmacy Minor ailment Symptom management Decision making Pharmacy services

Coverage

Geographic Coverage

French speaking part of Switzerland

Universe

People going to pharmacies, to ED or to GP or people having access to internet (QR code)

Producers and sponsors

Primary investigators

Name	Affiliation
Jérôme Berger	Unisanté, Center for Primary Care and Public Health and University of Lausanne, DDP Department of Ambulatory Care

Producers

Name	Affiliation	Role
Clemence Perraudin	Unisanté, Center for Primary Care and Public Health and University of Lausanne, DDP Department of Ambulatory Care	Co-author and researcher
Léa Charnaux	Unisanté, Center for Primary Care and Public Health and University of Lausanne, DDP Department of Ambulatory Care	Researcher

Funding Agency/Sponsor

Name	Abbreviation
Société vaudoise de pharmacie	SVPH

Sampling

Sampling Procedure

Sample size: 508 respondents.
Selection process: As many answers as possible
Stratification: none
Stage of sample selection : explorative without sample selection
Level of representation: not representative of the swiss population

Deviations from the Sample Design

Response Rate

There is no tracability of the number of people that scanned the QR code and didn't finish the questionnaire or didn't start it

Survey instrument

Questionnaires

The questionnaire was created following the recommendations in the Unisanté document “D1808 Creating a questionnaire”.
An initial review of the questionnaire was carried out by the project supervisor. Following modifications, the questionnaire was sent to the Unisanté pharmacy research group for an initial correction phase. Suggestions from 5 members of the research group were returned and taken into account. The questionnaire was then sent to two people outside the research group for an initial pilot test to assess comprehension and completion time. The final version of the questionnaire was submitted to the Head of Pharmacy, as well as to two people outside Unisanté for a final pilot test. It was estimated that the final version of the questionnaire would take 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

Methodology notes

None

Data collection

Dates of Data Collection

Start	End
2023-07-11	2023-08-12

Mode of data collection

Internet [int]

Data Collectors

Name	Affiliation	Abbreviation
Léa Charnaux	Unisanté, Center for Primary Care and Public Health and University of Lausanne, DDP Department of Ambulatory Care	CHX

Data Collection Notes

The average time taken to complete the questionnaires (n=458) was 16 +/- 9 minutes and the median 14 minutes [min 2 - max 58 minutes]; after excluding values deemed to be outliers >60 minutes, n=50.

Data processing

Data Editing

None

Data appraisal

Estimates of Sampling Error

Data Appraisal

The sample population responding to the questionnaire was recruited by convenience and was not representative of the Swiss population. The sample contained more women (70% vs. 50%) (1) and was better educated (59% with a higher education qualification vs. 30%) (2). What's more, in Romandie, the canton of Vaud was over-represented (81% vs. 36%) (1), as were people with standard AOS models (40% vs. 22%) (3). People with alternative “telemedicine or pharmacy” models (7% vs. 29.4% for 19-26 year-olds and 28% for >26 year-olds) (3), as well as extreme deductibles (300.- : 37% vs. 46% ; 2500. : 36% vs. 41%) (3) were under-represented. There was also a possible over-representation of young people (4).

OFS, Office fédéral de la statistique [Internet]. 2023 [cité 18 déc 2023]. Structure de la population
résidante permanente selon le canton, de 1999 à 2022 - 1999-2022 | Tableau. Disponible sur: https://www.bfs.admin.ch/asset/fr/26565149
OFS, Office fédéral de la statistique [Internet]. 2023 [cité 18 déc 2023]. Niveau de formation de
la population – Données de l’indicateur - 2000-2022 | Tableau. Disponible sur: https://www.bfs.admin.ch
/asset/fr/24485173
Grize S. Statistique de l’assurance-maladie obligatoire Edition 2021. Berne: OFSP, Office fédéral
de la santé publique; 2023. Report No.: 6.
OFS, Office fédéral de la statistique [Internet]. [cité 26 déc 2023]. Age. Disponible sur:
https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/fr/home/statistiken/bevoelkerung/stand-entwicklung/alter.html

Access policy

Location of Data Collection

Unisanté Data repository

URL for Location of Data Collection

https://doi.org/10.16909/56

Data Access

Access authority

Name	Affiliation	Email
Clemence Perraudin	Unisanté, Center for Primary Care and Public Health and University of Lausanne, DDP Department of Ambulatory Care	Clemence.Perraudin@unisante.ch

Confidentiality

Is signing of a confidentiality declaration required?
yes

Access conditions

All data and documentation are available under “restricted access” on the Unisanté data repository for research purposes only. Access request can be made by research teams at : https://doi.org/10.16909/dataset/56

Availability Status

The access and use of this dataset is restricted to the Managing minor ailments and pharmacy services team only

Contacts

Contacts

Name	Affiliation	Email
Clemence Perraudin	Unisanté, Center for Primary Care and Public Health and University of Lausanne, DDP Department of Ambulatory Care	Clemence.Perraudin@unisante.ch

Study description in PDF

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