Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30442145›Full record

ArticleBMC medical education2018

Greek students' attitudes, perception and knowledge regarding generic medicines in times of economic crisis: a cross-sectional study.

Philippe J Domeyer, Vasiliki Katsari, Pavlos Sarafis, Vassilis Aletras, Dimitris Niakas

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical education, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Validation of Kazakh and Russian Generic Drug Questionnaire.Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Attitude and Purchase Intention to Generic Drugs.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021
    Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Philippe J DomeyerSchool of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, Patras, Greece.
Vasiliki KatsariSchool of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, Patras, Greece.
Pavlos SarafisNursing Department, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus. pavlos.sarafis@cut.ac.cy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9967-5152
Vassilis AletrasDepartment of Business Administration, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Dimitris NiakasSchool of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, Patras, Greece.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe penetration of generic medicines in the pharmaceutical market is influenced, among others, by the consumer's attitude upon them. The attitude of students in health management and recent alumni is particularly important, as they constitute tomorrow's policymakers. The aim of our study was to assess their attitude, perception and knowledge towards generic medicines.

methodsA cross-sectional study was undertaken, involving students in Health Management and recent alumni. The ATtitude TOwards GENerics (ATTOGEN) validated questionnaire was used, which consists of 18 items, yielding 6 scales (trust, state audit, knowledge, drug quality, drug substitution and fiscal impact), with all item responses expressed on a 5-point Likert scale and higher scores denoting greater disagreement. Correlation coefficients were computed and independent sample tests were performed using non-parametrical statistical methods.

resultsA total of 1402 students were interviewed, with a female predominance (62.88%). The mean (SD) scores for the six scales of the ATTOGEN questionnaire were: Trust: 2.877 (0.940), State audit: 3.251 (0.967), Knowledge: 1.537 (0.688), Drug quality: 2.708 (0.971), Drug substitution: 3.828 (1.127) and Fiscal impact: 2.299 (0.860). Trust over generics was statistically significantly associated with all ATTOGEN scales (all p < 0.001). In addition, the increased level of knowledge about generics was associated with recognition of the generic medicines' quality equivalence (p < 0.001) and positive fiscal impact (p = 0.018). Pharmacists declared having a superior knowledge of generic medicines, being more satisfied with the information they receive about them and strongly believing in drug substitution (p < 0.001). Comparatively to other professionals, pharmacists also indicated substantial differences between branded and generic medicines more often (p < 0.001). They also argued to a greater extent that generic medicines were invented and promoted to resolve the financial crisis of social security institutions at the expense of citizens (p < 0.001).

conclusionsThis study demonstrated a mixed attitude of students regarding generic medicines. Trust and knowledge emerged as key factors shaping the students' attitude towards generics. Among students, pharmacists exhibited a distinct response pattern. This study underlines the importance of addressing and correcting health management students' misbeliefs about generics' quality and utility.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelEducation, Medical, ContinuingHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeAdultCross-Sectional StudiesDrugs, GenericDrug SubstitutionEconomic RecessionFemaleGreeceHumansMalePractice Patterns, Physicians'Students, MedicalSurveys and QuestionnairesDrugs, GenericAttitudeDrug substitutionFiscal impactGenericsGreeceKnowledgeQuality of genericsState auditStudentsTrust in generics

Identifiers

PMID30442145
PMCPMC6238271

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.