THE IMPACT OF PHARMACEUTICAL PROMOTION STRATEGIES ON PRESCRIBING BEHAVIOR OF PHYSICIANS IN ADDIS ABABA CITY.

Abstract

This study was conducted to explore the effect of pharmaceutical promotion strategies on prescribing behavior of physicians and determine promotional tools which are effective in influencing the prescribing behavior of physicians. Furthermore, the study also focused to examine the relationship between various kinds of promotional tools with demographic variables of physicians. A Cross-sectional survey strategy was used. And data was collected through selfadministered questionnaire to selected physicians in Addis Ababa. Purposive or judgmental sampling method was followed. Data was analyzed on the basis of responses provided by 270 respondents. Factor analysis was used for data reduction and ANOVA and F-test and Independent-Sample t test for hypothesis testing. Analysis results show that the personal selling and sales promotion has been perceived to be the most influencing strategy whereas the personal selling itself has been revealed to be the second most important factor. The advertising, sales promotion and educational promotional tools strategies have also perceived to the third, fourth and fifth important influencing factors respectively. Finally, public relation strategy is perceived to be the least important factor by physicians. Findings of the present study can help pharmaceutical companies in designing their promotion strategies that are more effective in influencing the prescribing behavior of physicians. Moreover, the information offered by pharmaceutical companies to physicians may help to develop their professional competency.