The present study is an attempt to explore the determinants of over-the-counter (OTC)
medicines purchase intentions in the State of Kuwait based on the Theory of planned
behavior (TPB). Data were collected using a structured online questionnaire administered
to the Kuwaiti population, 546 valid-completed questionnaires were collected and analyzed.
The research questionnaire measured the constructs of the TPB, specifically purchase
intention, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, alongside
demographic variables such as age, gender, income, and level of education. The results
show that the purchase intention of OTC medications highly driven by psychological
factors with perceived behavioral control being the most influential. On the other
hand, demographic characteristics were considered insignificant. These findings are
useful for health providers, policymakers, and managers in designing and implementing
strategies to encourage adequate and reasoned use of over-thecounter medications in
the context of Kuwait.
