South African health care and the proprietary medicine industry

A large-scale national sample survey was conducted to assess the health and sickness profiles of the population by conventional demographic parameters. The objective was to ascertain how people treated particular ailments and in particular how and when they used proprietary medicines and other self-medication alternatives rather than a professional medical practitioner. The attitudes to self-medication by the respondents were largely positive. Self-selected treatments were perceived to be successful. A panel of physicians was asked to comment on the medical suitability of the ailments chosen for self-treatment and of the medicines selected. People were deemed generally to administer self-medication responsibly and sensibly and in the case of more serious ailments did, correctly, consult professionals.