Preference of Herbal Medicine Packagings for Caregivers

Objectives The aim of this study is to investigate preferred herbal medicine packaging. Methods The study used questionnaires for the caregivers, who have administered their children herbal and western medicine. 106 of them were visited the Department of Pediatrics, the Oriental Medicine Hospital of ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$ University, during the period between in 2014. We used PASW Stastics 18.0 to analyze different dosing methods, and preferred packaging and drug formulations. Results 1. 77.4% answered that they use cups to administer medications, 9.4% transferred it to other plastic bottles, 8.5% used straw to drink from the pouch, 4.7% drank as it is inside the pouch. Method of taking it was not very significant depending on the age. 2. Compare to pills and capsules, 48 responders answered that pills and capsules are easier to take, 11 answered herbal medication is easier to take. 32 answered that there were no significant difference. 3. 45.3% reported vinyl pouch was preferable, 44.3% answered spout pouch was preferred, 5.7% answered bottles are convenient, and another 5.7% responders thought cup was fine. Others include syrup bottles had 1 person. These varying preferences were not depending on the age variations. 4. 56.3% answered that price was the main reason why they prefer one over the other. Others 29.2% stated convenience, 12.5% reported safety, and 10.4% people answered ease of administration as their main reason for their preferences. Conclusions Based on this study, numbers of parents felt inconvenient administering herbal medicine as a vinyl pouch, and felt necessary to improve this. However, price and other reasons made vinyl pouch still more preferable option. Vinyl pouch that we are using today didn't show any safety issues. Therefore, it is recommended to still use vinyl pouch, but with caps on top to improve administration and distinguishing issues.

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