Abstract

Kenya experiences a low (30%) adoption rate of generics despite well-demonstrated cost-saving benefits to the healthcare system, amid pervasive perceptions of low quality thus impeding access to affordable medication. The effect of communication and consumer preference on generics uptake in retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County, Nairobi is established against a backdrop of implied conceptual link but lack of empirical evidence thereof in existing literature. This was a cross-sectional descriptive survey using data from a random sample of retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County (N = 121). The study aimed to establish the interaction effect of communication and consumer preference on generics uptake in retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County, Nairobi. The hypothesis was that communication and consumer preference have a statistically significant interaction effect on the uptake of generic medicines in retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County, Nairobi. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA were used to analyse the data. Communication and consumer preference have a statistically significant effect on the uptake of generics ((ղ2p = .27; p<.01). Effective communication and consumer preference significantly influence the adoption of generic medicines, highlighting the need for targeted strategies to enhance their uptake.

Key Words: Interaction Effect, Communication, Consumer Preference, Generics Uptake, Retail Pharmacies

About the Authors

*John Winjah Ngonde is a Communication Officer in the Computing for Development Lab (C4DLab) of the University of Nairobi, Kenya.  His research interest are in health and development communication, spanning areas such as application of digital communication technologies in healthcare and the use of artificial intelligence to improve communication and improved health outcomes in varied contexts.

**Ndeti Ndati, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Health Communication at the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Nairobi, Kenya. His research interests are in media, public relations, and health and development communication.

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 17, No. 1, April 2025, pp. 51-65.

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

Article Citation

Ngonde, J. W. & Ndati, N. (2025). Interaction of effect communication and consumer preference on generics uptake in retail pharmacies in Njiru Sub-County, Nairobi, Kenya. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 17 (1): 51-65.

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