Objective: To study beliefs held by the general public in Iceland about medicines.

Methods: The Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire was used to explore Icelanders' beliefs about medicines. A sample of 1500 Icelandic citizens, aged 18-75, obtained from the Social Science Research Insti­tute was given The Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire.   

Results: The response rate was 61.6%. Most Icelanders have positive beliefs about their medication as well as general trust. Those who suffer from chronic diseases are more positive towards medicines than others and less inclined to view them as excessively used and harmful. Higher level of education predicts more positive beliefs towards medication - and vice versa. Gender and age do not seem to affect such beliefs.

Conclusion: Gaining a better understanding of people´s beliefs about medicines and what determines these beliefs can be of considerable value in the search for ways to improve therapy and adherence, espe­cially for those suffering from chronic diseases. Promoting education for the general public about medicines might result in less mis­understanding among patients and subsequently better grounded ­beliefs and more adequate therapeutic adherence.

  Table I, Table II, Table III, Table IV, Table V, Table VI