Demographic Determinants of E-Pharmacy Utilization and Perceived Barriers Among Adults in Lahore, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study
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E-pharmacy facilities are growing at a very fast rate across Pakistan. However, much remains to be learned about how they are being utilized across the country. These connections are important to understand in order to make healthcare more accessible and to make effective policy decisions. This paper aimed at investigating the relationship between the demographics of individuals in Lahore, Pakistan and their use of online pharmacies, as well as the demographic predictors of hindrances that do not allow them to use these services. A sample of adults in Lahore participated in a cross-sectional study conducted between April 1, 2024 and September 30, 2024. The participants were selected through the convenience sampling method to ensure variability in their digital exposure, education levels, and socioeconomic background. Structured questionnaires were employed to gather data on demographics, perceived barriers, and e-pharmacy usage. The study found that the perception and usage of e-pharmacy services is strongly associated with the demographic characteristics of the individuals. Among the 450 respondents, the level of knowledge regarding e-pharmacy services was mostly high but only a moderate percentage of respondents used these services regularly. The use of e-pharmacy was found to be statistically significantly related to age group, level of education, socioeconomic status, and type of mobile phone used (p < 0.05). The participants who were younger, better educated, and from upper socioeconomic groups were more likely to use e-pharmacy services. Fear of getting counterfeit medicines, distrust of online platforms, low levels of digital literacy, high delivery fees, and poor awareness of the available services were the most common barriers among non-users. These results suggest that despite awareness, there still remain several structural and perceptual obstacles that prevent the popularization of e-pharmacies in the local context. The current study found that the barriers and willingness of people to use e-pharmacies in Lahore is strongly associated with their demographic background. These results indicate that there is a need to provide specific initiatives to address the problem of trust and digital literacy, particularly among less educated people.
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