Analysis Of Generation Z’s Online Medication Purchasing Behavior
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The digital age has transformed the way Generation Z (Gen Z) accesses healthcare services, including obtaining medications. The phenomenon of “kereta kuning” purchasing medications through e-commerce platforms and social media has become a significant trend due to its convenience, privacy, and competitive prices. However, this convenience poses serious health risks. This article aims to provide a narrative review of online medication purchasing behavior among Gen Z and its impact on patient safety. We conducted a literature review by collecting scientific journals from leading platforms such as Google Scholar, CrossRef, and PubMed in English. Analysis of the literature reveals that low digital health literacy and a tendency to self-diagnose based on viral content are driving Gen Z to consume prescription medications without medical supervision. Key risks include the circulation of substandard or counterfeit drugs, a lack of accurate dosage information, and the absence of pharmacists in clinical screening. Although digital access offers efficiency, without strict regulations and adaptive education tailored to Gen Z’s lifestyle, this trend could become a public health “disaster” in the future.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
Arikpo, D., et al. (2023). What influences consumers' online medication purchase intentions and behavior? A scoping review. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 14, Article 1356059. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2024.1356059
Algifari, M. H., Zachary, L., Yuliani, R. P., Aditama, H., & Kristina, S. A. (2024). Digital health literacy and its associated factors in general population in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Pharmacy, 35(2), 355–362. https://doi.org/10.22146/ijp.5640
Buis, L. (2019). Implementation: The next giant hurdle to clinical transformation with digital health. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(11), Article e16259. https://doi.org/10.2196/16259
Emmert-Streib, F. (2020). From the digital data revolution to digital health and digital economy toward a digital society: Pervasiveness of artificial intelligence. Machine Learning and Knowledge Extraction, 3(1), 14–33. https://doi.org/10.3390/make3010014
Farooq, A., Laato, S., Islam, A. K. M. N., & Isoaho, J. (2021). Understanding the impact of information sources on COVID-19 related preventive measures in Finland. Technology in Society, 65Trace, Article 101573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101573
Hassoun, A., Beacock, I., Consolvo, S., Goldberg, B., Kelley, P. G., & Russell, D. M. (2023). Practicing information sensibility: How Gen Z engages with online information. Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1145/3544548.3581328
Haestuti, G. N. S., Puspita, N., & Nida, K. (2024). Assessing knowledge and practice of online medication purchasing: A pilot study. Pharmacy Education, 24(3), 260-265. https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2024.243.260265
Jiao Wen, Chang, A., He, M., Liang, Q., Lau, M. T., & Smith, P. J. (2023). Predicting and empowering health for Generation Z by comparing health information seeking and digital health literacy: Cross-sectional questionnaire study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, Article e47595. https://doi.org/10.2196/47595
Khairunnisa, K., et al. (2021). Pengawasan peredaran obat secara online oleh Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan (BPOM) di Indonesia. Jurnal Hukum Farmasi Klinis, 3(2), 112-125.
Mansoor, M., & Paul, J. (2022). Mass prestige, brand happiness and brand evangelism among consumers. Journal of Business Research, 144, 484–496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.02.015
Mardiana, M., Ismanto, I., & Kurniadi, H. (2024). The influence of online impulse buying on Generation Z: A systematic literature review approach. Indonesian Interdisciplinary Journal of Sharia Economics (IIJSE), 7(1), 10212-10224.
Millatussa’adah, S., et al. (2024). Gambaran risiko pembelian obat keras tanpa resep melalui platform e-commerce umum non-farmasi. Jurnal Manajemen dan Pelayanan Farmasi, 14(2), 45-56.
Nasier, B., Gibson, K., & Trnka, S. (2021). “PM me” or “LOL”: Young peoples’ observations of supportive and unsympathetic responses to distress on social media. Computers in Human Behavior, 124Trace, Article 106933. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106933
Oyenuga, G., Law, M., Parbat, M., & Tofade, T. (2020). Implementing an online longitudinal leadership development program using a leadership-specific Continuing Professional Development (CPD) tool. Pharmacy, 8(2), Article 79. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy8020079
PMC Journal Review. (2024). Online pharmacy adoption and consumer perception: A systematic review of existing literature. PubMed Central Healthcare Review, 12, Article PMC12718642.
Puspita, N., Kurniawan, A. H., & Tias, C. A. N. (2024). Exploring the relationship between e-health literacy and online health information-seeking behaviour among pharmacy students in Indonesia. Pharmacy Education, 24(1), 304-310. https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2024.241.304310
Sari, D. P., & Handayani, P. W. (2023). Faktor penentu kepercayaan konsumen muda dalam menerima informasi obat di Instagram dan TikTok. Jurnal Sistem Informasi Indonesia, 8(2), 142-155.
Septiane, P. D. A., & Purmono, B. B. (2023). The influence of website quality and pay-later payment on online impulse buying with shopping enjoyment as a mediation variable (Case on Generation Z Indonesian Shopee customers). JEMBA: Journal of Economics, Management, Business and Accounting, 1(3), 44–65.
Sutha, D. W., Christine, C., & Novianti, S. (2026). Digital health literacy and health information seeking behavior among adolescents in Indonesia. Jurnal Promkes: The Indonesian Journal of Health Promotion and Health Education, 14(1), 89-99.
Tanniru, M. R., Agarwal, N., Sokan, A., & Hariri, S. (2021). An agile digital platform to support population health—A case study of a digital platform to support patients with delirium using IoT, NLP, and AI. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(11), 5686. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115686
Theocharis, D., Tsekouropoulos, G., Chatzigeorgiou, C., & Kokkinis, G. (2025). Empirical categorization of factors affecting online consumer behavior of Gen Z regarding newly launched technological products and moderating impact of perceived risk. Behavioral Sciences, 15(3), Article 371. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15030371