A cross-sectional study on the use of, preference for, and perceived reliability of mass media for drug-related information among the general public in Sarawak

• Published in: Therapeutic Innovation and Regulatory Science
• Main Author: Ting C.Y.; Abd Wahab M.S.; Lee K.S.; Tan R.T.-H.; Ming L.C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications Inc. 2017
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85018242390&doi=10.1177%2f2168479016674041&partnerID=40&md5=c754ec3a373e770e44ca6e8599650483

Background: Because of the large size of Sarawak and the high proportion of people residing in rural areas in this Malaysian state, disseminating drug-related information there can be challenging. It is, therefore, important to recognize the type of mass media for drug-related information that are salient to the people of Sarawak. This study was aimed at identifying the use of and the preferences for mass media to obtain drug-related information among the public in Sarawak. We also aimed to recognize the media perceived as the most reliable for drug-related information. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire carried out from September to October 2013. Survey respondents were recruited from 4 divisions in Sarawak: Kuching, Sibu, Miri, and Bintulu. Results: A total of 433 completed questionnaires were obtained at the end of the study period. All respondents had access to common mass media such as television (89.8%, 389/433), radio (68.6%, 297/433), and the Internet (66.1%, 286/433). Among all respondents, television (71.4%, 309/433) was noted as the most preferred media for drug-related information. Compared with rural respondents, urban respondents were significantly more likely to have access to and prefer the Internet to obtain drug-related information. On the other hand, rural respondents were more likely to have access to and prefer radio for such information compared to their urban counterparts. Conclusions: Television can be an important and attractive choice of mass media in a quality use of medicines (QUM) campaign. The Internet can be used to disseminate drug-related information in urban areas, whereas radio can be used in a QUM campaign targeting the rural public. © The Author(s) 2016.