Publication Date: 2022/07/29
Abstract: Amidst the pandemic, the continuation of proper healthcare dissemination is threatened as people are now forced to undergo self-quarantine and other safety protocols that hinder our way of life. To adapt to the "new normal," the researchers wanted to explore the services offered by online pharmacies; hence we aimed to identify the respondents' awareness and views of online pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic to help bridge the gap with online pharmacies. This research employs a cross-sectional quantitative – nonexperimental design, utilizing a descriptive technique, was conducted to examine the feasibility of online pharmacies in Davao City. Four hundred eighty-six (486) responses were collected using a simple random sampling technique across all of Davao City, and only 90.33% (439) were used, analyzed, and interpreted in this study. The results showed that despite the growing concern regarding its safety and the lack of awareness in most respondents, there is generally a positive response on the acceptance, practicability, and perceived advantages of online pharmacies during the pandemic. The statistical analysis revealed that there are significant relationships (p <0.05) between the age (p = 0.002) and income (p = 0.021) of the respondents with online pharmacy awareness. Furthermore, the respondents' monthly family income also significantly influenced their views on the acceptability (p = 0.004) and safety (p = 0.013) of online pharmacies. However, as online pharmacies are not yet well established in Davao City, the current findings certainly prove that online pharmacies, if well established, are acceptable and a feasible supplement to existing public healthcare infrastructure.
Keywords: Online Pharmacy, Customers, Awareness, Views, COVID-19.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6930412
PDF: https://ijirst.demo4.arinfotech.co/assets/upload/files/IJISRT22JUL157_(1).pdf
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