Assessment of the knowledge, attitude and practice on Paracetamol - food interaction among selected adults in selected provinces in the Philippines

Abstract

The rising availability of Paracetamol to the public raises the concern of consumers experiencing drug-food interactions, due to their lack of knowledge in the area. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice on Paracetamol - food interaction among selected adults in the Philippines, as these drug-food interactions may unknowingly lessen or increase the drug's effect. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted, utilizing a convenience sampling on 384 Filipinos who have taken Paracetamol. A validated online questionnaire was used to gather data with regards to the respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics and their knowledge, attitude and practices, that will measure that extent of their awareness on Paracetamol - food interaction. Mean, frequencies, Chi-square test, Spearman's rho and Kendall's tau-b were the statistical treatments and methods used in the study. The respondents showed Poor Knowledge, Neutral Attitude and Moderate Practices regarding Paracetamol - food interaction. The results of Chi-square test indicate that out of all the socio-demographic variables, only the Sex (p-value = 0.027) and Employment status (p-value = 0.006) showed a significant association with the respondents’ Knowledge. On the other hand, the Attitude and Practices showed no significant association with the five socio-demographic variables. Thus, a heedful understanding on the significance of Paracetamol - food interaction is a must, where the role of pharmacists in terms of patient counseling should be highlighted.