This is a descriptive cross-sectional study with both qualitative and quantitative components designed to determine the health seeking behavior of pharmacy clerks in Zamboanga City using a structured survey questionnaire and in-depth interviews. Two hundred (200) respondents who were selected through multi stage sampling were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire. In-depth interview was also conducted to verify and clarify issues identified during the survey. Results showed that 50-73 percent of respondents answered, self-medication was the initial action taken when ill, followed by physicians’ consultation. About 96-97 percent of the respondents have self-medicated in the last six months for symptoms such as cough, fever, body pain, colds and diarrhea. Common classes of drugs used were NSAIDS (73-78%), antacids (23-42%) and antidiarrheal (9-38%). However, about 73-87% have used antibiotic for self-medications. Frequent switching of medications and incomplete course of treatment were observed during self-treatment. Reasons for practice of self-medication includes knowledge on drugs, perception on illness, cost saving and access to a medical store. Their exposure to drugs and knowledge of their treatment of illness remains the fundamental contributor to their health-seeking behavior. Therefore, this study shows that pharmacy clerks’ health seeking behaviors generally depends on how they perceive the severity of an illness. Although their interpretations of some symptoms prompted immediate consultation, majority will only seek help from a physician if the symptom did not respond to their self-treatment efforts.

Keyword: Health-seeking behaviours of pharmacy clerks