Title:Evaluation of the Factors Associated with Prescribed and Non-Prescribed
Medicine: A Population-Based Study
Volume: 18
Issue: 4
Author(s): Mehrnoosh Eskandari, Amir Hossein Alizadeh Bahmani, Mehdi Hoorang, Marziyeh Zare, Saba Afifi, Iman Karimzadeh, Soha Azadi, Ali Mohammad Sabzghabaee, Kamran B. Lankarani, Fariba Ahmadizar and Payam Peymani*
Affiliation:
- College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences University
of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Keywords:
Population-based study, prescribed, medication, non-prescribed, socioeconomic position, OTCS.
Abstract:
Objectives: Several factors influence medication patterns. The purpose of this study was
to look into the role of social determinants in the use of prescribed and non-prescribed medications
in a population-based setting of people over 18 in a southern metropolis of Iran (Shiraz) for 2
years.
Study Design: Prospective population-based cross-sectional.
Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional survey was done in 2018-2020. A total of 1016 participants
were randomly selected based on their postal codes and recruited to the study. The demographic
characteristics (age, sex, and education), social profiles (insurance, supplementary insurance,
health status, and daily exercise plan), and outpatient visits (family/general physician or specialist/
subspecialist) were recorded by gathering sheets. Descriptive analyses and multinomial logistic
analyses were carried out using SPSS software.
Results: The medication use pattern was classified into three categories: non-prescribed type I,
non-prescribed type II, and prescribed. The mean age of participants was 45.54 ± 15.82 years. The
results indicated that most of them took their medication without a prescription (non-prescribed
type II). However, people who had insurance and referred to a family physician commonly used
the prescribed medications. This study also found that patients who visited a family doctor or a
general practitioner used fewer prescribed drugs than those who visited a specialist.
Conclusion: This study describes social determinants as additional effective factors in health services
that influence the use of prescribed and non-prescribed medications in Shiraz. These evidence-
based findings can help policymakers to plan the best programs.