Relationships between physicians' characteristics and practice-setting factors and their attitude towards drug promotion

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to investigate relationship between attitude and belief of physicians towards drug promotion and their characteristics and practice-setting factors in Sana'a, Yemen.

Methods A survey method approach was used in this study. To test the relationship between attitude and belief of physicians towards drug promotion and their characteristics and practice-setting factors in Sana'a, Yemen, data were analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis. The hypotheses were tested using independent t-test and one-way ANOVA.

Results Findings revealed that only possession of private clinic makes significant difference (P-value 0.003) among physician in attitude towards pharmaceutical companies, and only occupational commitment makes significant difference (P-value 0.020) in attitude towards ethical pharmaceutical promotion, while only gender and possession of private clinic make significant difference (P-value 0.001 and 0.009 respectively) in physicians’ belief in the appropriateness of accepting high-value promotions. ANOVA showed significant difference in physicians’ attitude towards pharmaceutical companies (P-value 0.003) and medical representatives (MRs; P-value 0-048) only when the number of MRs seen per week is more than six.

Conclusion Only gender, possession or nonpossession of private clinic, occupational commitment and number of MRs the physician see per week can be considered as possible predictors of the relationship between physicians’ belief and attitude towards drug promotional activities.