Personal determinants of pharmaceuticals products online

Our study examines psychological and sociodemographic variables that might influence the intention to purchase pharmaceuticals online. Online questionnaires examining variables in Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior, as well as personal variables such as stimulating risk taking and safety perception (i.e., perception of the behavior as safe for health), were used for the purpose of the study. Results of hierarchical regressions and of structural equation modeling showed that attitude and subjective norm were the main determinants of future purchase intention. A significant effect was found also for past behavior and for safety perception. Safety perception, moreover, resulted the more important determinant of attitude and of subjective norm, thus exerting a significant and great indirect impact on future purchase intention. Propensity to risk and age showed a significant but moderate direct effect on attitude and subjective norm but only a modest indirect effect on future purchase intention. Public stakeholders may capitalize on these results to orient their communication campaigns. In particular, messages stressing the risk of health may lower the positive attitude toward the purchase of medicines online, and then the intention to purchase those products online.