Hatabu Asuka, Tian Yu-Shi, Asano Hiroto, Fukuzawa Kaori, Ikeda Kenji
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita City, 565-0871, Osaka, Japan.
BMC Res Notes. 2025 Jan 27;18(1):37. doi: 10.1186/s13104-025-07114-5.
The extent of perceived knowledge and usage status regarding over-the-counter (OTC) drugs among Japanese citizens remains unclear. This study aims to assess OTC drug use through a pilot cross-sectional survey.
Conducted on April 30, 2023, at the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, the survey garnered 180 valid responses. Among these, 76.1% were female and 56.1% aged 16-19 years. Over the past year, 70.6% used OTC drugs, and price (60.0%), effectiveness (50.0%), and ingredients (43.3%) were the top three factors focused on during OTC drug selection. Most respondents (97.2%) were aware of Package Inserts (PI), with 51.7% reading them before purchasing or using new OTC drugs. 10% reported online purchases. However, 17.2% were unaware of expiration dates, and only 43.3% read storage and handling instructions from PI. This study indicates moderate proper use of OTC drugs but highlights risks due to low awareness of storage precautions and expiration dates. Results are preliminary; further research is needed for generalization.
日本公民对非处方药（OTC）的认知程度和使用状况仍不明确。本研究旨在通过一项试点横断面调查评估非处方药的使用情况。
该调查于2023年4月30日在大阪大学药学院进行，共获得180份有效回复。其中，76.1%为女性，56.1%年龄在16 - 19岁之间。在过去一年中，70.6%的人使用过非处方药，价格（60.0%）、疗效（50.0%）和成分（43.3%）是选择非处方药时关注的前三大因素。大多数受访者（97.2%）知道药品说明书（PI），51.7%的人在购买或使用新的非处方药前会阅读。10%的人报告有网购行为。然而，17.2%的人不知道有效期，只有43.3%的人阅读药品说明书中的储存和处理说明。本研究表明非处方药的使用情况适度合理，但由于对储存注意事项和有效期的认识不足，存在风险。结果为初步结论；需要进一步研究以进行推广。
