Communication, Pharmacy Personnel Knowledge, Consumer Preference and Generics Uptake in Retail Pharmacies in Njiru Sub-county, Nairobi

Abstract

Adoption rate of generics remains low in Kenya (30%) despite well-demonstrated cost-saving benefits, amid pervasive perceptions of low quality, thus impeding access to affordable medication. The moderation effect of pharmacy personnel knowledge and consumer preference on the relationship between communication and uptake of generic medicines in retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County, Nairobi, is established. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey through which quantitative data were randomly collected from retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County (N = 121). A corresponding number of pharmacists, pharmacy technologists/technicians or pharmacy assistants constituted the respondents. The study had five objectives. One, to establish the relationship between communication and the uptake of generic medicines in retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County, Nairobi. Two, to assess the effect of pharmacy personnel knowledge on the uptake of generic medicines in retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County, Nairobi. Three, to determine the effect of consumer preference on the uptake of generic medicines in retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County, Nairobi. Four, to evaluate the interaction effect of communication and pharmacy personnel knowledge on the uptake of generic medicines in retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County, Nairobi. Five, to establish the interaction effect of communication and consumer preference on the uptake of generic medicines in retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County, Nairobi. Five corresponding hypotheses were formulated from the objectives. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data, which were then presented as frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation and range in tables, charts and plots. The results show that communication has a significant effect on the uptake of generics (ղ2 = .16; p<.01). Pharmacy personnel knowledge has a statistically significant effect on the uptake of generics (ղ2 = .11; p<.05). Consumer preference has no statistically significant effect on the uptake of generics (ղ2 = .05; p = .059). Communication and pharmacy personnel knowledge do not have a statistically significant effect on the uptake of generics (ղ2p = .000; p = .845). Communication and consumer preference have a statistically significant effect on the uptake of generics (ղ2p = .27; p<.01). It concludes that communication is a focal predictor of uptake of generics, together with pharmacy personnel knowledge and consumer preference, which two variables also moderate its relationship with the criterion; but its interaction with pharmacy personnel knowledge has no effect.