Purchasing a quick fix from private pharmacies in the Gaza Strip

Increasingly, it is recognised by health planners and social scientists tha t self medication with drugs bought over the counter in private pharmacies is extremely widespread. Some anthropologists see this trend as an aspect o f the 'commodification of health'. In this study, group interviews with hea lth service users and providers in Gaza revealed many health service users reporting an inadequate supply of drugs resulting in the purchasing of drug s in private pharmacies. As a result, a. survey of the pattern of utilizati on of three private pharmacies in three contrasting urban areas within the Gaza Strip was undertaken. Using a questionnaire, data were collected from all customers buying drugs; The results show that variations in the pattern s of health seeking behaviour were associated with socioeconomic status. Ad ult males were the most frequent customers of all three pharmacies. They we re buying medicines for members of their nuclear family more often than for themselves. Overall, pain and influenza were the most commonly reported co nditions. The drugs purchased most frequently for women were for reproducti ve health problems, particularly infertility. Customers of the pharmacy in the relatively prosperous area more commonly purchased drugs which were pre scribed by a private doctor. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights rese rved.