Intercity Bus Passengers’ Perception and Response to In-Vehicle Medication Drug Hawking

Abstract

This study examined Nigerian intercity bus passengers’ perceptions of in-vehicle medication drug hawking. It equally determined whether there was high patronage for vended drugs and why; and assessed the consumer views on the quality of hawked drugs and associated risks. An explanatory analysis was applied for the study.  Structured interviews were completed by 300 respondents, selected using volunteer sampling of two parks in Onitsha commercial city, southeast Nigeria. Conclusively, the study revealed high patronage of hawked drugs, especially herbal medicines; most respondents (consumers) rated the quality of herbal medicine higher than Over-the-Counter (OTC) and prescription drugs. The study further established a strong link between patronage of hawked medication drugs and inhibiting factors to the use of professionally prescribed medication drugs. We recommended that the government should play an active role in resourcing the mandated institutions in the dispensation of medication drugs, to eliminate the proliferation of the activities of medication drug hawkers.

Keywords: Bus passengers’ perception, medication drug hawking, intercity

DOI: 10.7176/JMCR/57-06

Publication date:June 30^th 2019