Key information providers, channels, and characteristics of Japanese consumers’ informed choices of over-the-counter medications

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Table 2 Associations between the use of information providers and the purchase of OTCs

Information provider (used: yes/no)	Multivariate logistic regression analysis^a
Information provider (used: yes/no)	OR^b (95 % CI)	P-value^c
Pharmacists
Yes	3.74 (2.46, 5.68)	<0.001
No	1.00 [Reference]
OTC manufacturers
Yes	1.13 (0.76, 1.67)	0.549
No	1.00 [Reference]
Family or friends using OTCs
Yes	0.60 (0.40, 0.90)	0.014
No	1.00 [Reference]
Medical doctors
Yes	0.77 (0.51, 1.17)	0.220
No	1.00 [Reference]
Ordinary users of OTCs
Yes	1.42 (0.87, 2.32)	0.157
No	1.00 [Reference]
Public organizations
Yes	1.07 (0.62, 1.83)	0.806
No	1.00 [Reference]
Nurses
Yes	1.09 (0.60, 1.98)	0.769
No	1.00 [Reference]
Salespersons
Yes	0.87 (0.45, 1.68)	0.682
No	1.00 [Reference]
Mass communications
Yes	1.80 (0.88, 3.69)	0.107
No	1.00 [Reference]
Registered distributors
Yes	1.59 (0.66, 3.82)	0.298
No	1.00 [Reference]
Public health nurses
Yes	0.51 (0.25, 1.02)	0.058
No	1.00 [Reference]
OTC experts
Yes	1.14 (0.42, 3.08)	0.803
No	1.00 [Reference]
People of learning and experience
Yes	0.66 (0.26, 1.69)	0.383
No	1.00 [Reference]

The outcome and predictor variables were the purchase of OTCs (Yes/No) and the use of each information provider (Yes/No), respectively
CI confidence interval, OR odds ratio, OTC over-the-counter medication
^an = 1743
^bVariables were mutually adjusted
^cStatistically significant (P < 0.05)