Conhecimento popular sobre medicamento genérico em um Distrito Docente-Assistencial do Município de Rio Branco, Estado do Acre, Brasil

Abstract

Public policy about generic medicine (MdG) implemented in Brazil in 1999 intends increasing popular access to medicines. This work aimed to evaluate popular knowledge about MdG, using probable sample from the population of the Medical Care and Training District of Tucumã, Municipality of Rio Branco, Acre State, Brazil. The person classified as "aware" of MdG defined it correctly and indicated it in the presented kit. Knowledge about MdG was of only 22.1%, more significant among those with higher social-economical indexes. The means of communication were said to be the main source of information, nevertheless only 27.9% of the interviewees considered educational campaigns about MdG regular, good or excellent; and only 23.6% said they had requested the physician to prescribe MdG, having the lower price as the main reason. The low popular knowledge about generics can be explained by the least social-economical indexes of the studied sample, and, probably, by the lower effectiveness or reach of the educational campaigns.