THE EFFECT OF MEDICAL PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES ON DOCTORS PRESCRIPTION HABIT IN A PRIVATE SET UP: THE CASE OF MCM HOSPITAL ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This thesis presents the effect of medical promotional activities on doctor’s prescription habit in a private set up in the case of MCM hospital in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. In this study qualitative research approach were used. The source of data used in this study was primary which was collected through the application of structured and semi structured questionnaire that were distributed to all 43 medical professionals currently working in the MCM hospital. Ordered logistic regression model or log likelihood and simple descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the data and investigate the effect of medical promotional activities such as medical representative’s interaction (MR), promotional materials and medical gifts (PM), free drug samples (FD), and continuing medical educations (CM). According to the findings of the study MR and CM have got positive effect and PM has got negative effect on doctor’s prescription habit of doctors working in MCM Hospital. It is important that pharmaceutical companies work hard and help the medical representatives interact with medical doctors at least once in a week, and share relevant information. They should also increase the provision of continuing medical education, reduce the amount of medical promotional materials and medical gifs to be provided, employ any medical representative of any gender and age group without discrimination.