Consumer socialisation of over-the-counter medicines: A comparative study of adolescents in New Zealand and Malaysia

Abstract

This study investigates how adolescents in two different cultures learn to become consumers of OTCs through interactions with socialisation agents, namely family, peers, mass media, school and others such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists and salespeople. New Zealand represents a developed nation that is high in individualism, while Malaysia is a developing country with a collectivist society. Of the socialisation agents examined in this study, families seem to have played the major role in both cultures. This confirms the contention that even during teenage years, when peer influence is known to increase, good communication between parents and adolescents remains necessary. In contrast, school did not play a major role in educating adolescents about OTCs, even though it is where those surveyed spent the largest proportion of their time. This finding held true for both cultures. It is also clear that adolescents socialise differently with socialisation agents in these two cultures, although some similarities were also identified. Besides filling the gap in the literature, the results of the study can assist policymakers in designing policies, campaigns and educational programmes to address issues of OTC medicines. The findings can also assist pharmaceutical marketers to formulate appropriate marketing strategies that have the most influence and greatest likelihood of reaching adolescents.