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Reducing variation in antibacterial prescribing rates for 'cough/cold' and sore throat between 1993 and 2001: Regional analyses using the general practice research database.
- Source :
-
Public Health (Elsevier) . Aug2006, Vol. 120 Issue 8, p752-759. 8p. 3 Charts, 1 Graph. - Publication Year :
- 2006
-
Abstract
- Objective: To use the General Practice Research Database (GPRD) to explore the regional variation in prescribing for single diagnostic episodes of 'cough/cold' and sore throat and how this changed between 1993 and 2001. Methods: Data from the GPRD was used to conduct a longitudinal survey of morbidity and antibiotic prescribing data. Results: Nationally there has been a substantial reduction in diagnosed episodes per 1000 patient years at risk for both diagnoses: from 104.6 (104.0-105.2) to 86.5 (86.0-86.9) for cough/cold (-17.3%) and from 102.8 (102.2-103.4) to 69.2 (68.8-69.6) for sore throat (-32.6%), In addition to the changes in diagnostic rate there have been reductions in diagnosis-related prescribing: from 41.8% to 34.8% of cough/cold episodes (-7.0%) and from 77.3% to 60,8% of sore throat episodes (-16.4%). These aggregated data conceal wide regional variations. For cough/cold the change in prescribing rate during the study varied from 16.0% to +5.3% and for sore throat from -28.3% to -7.3%. Conclusions: In addition to a substantial reduction in diagnosis of cough/cold and sore throat, there has been a reduction in diagnosis-related prescribing episodes in almost all regions. Although there continues to be regional variation in diagnosis-related prescribing this has reduced substantially over the 9-year study period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *DRUG prescribing
*COUGH diagnosis
*COMMON cold
*THROAT diseases
*DIAGNOSIS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00333506
- Volume :
- 120
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Public Health (Elsevier)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 22352450
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2006.02.007