Prescription medications in Manitoba children: are there regional differences?

Background: Population-based studies of pharmaceutical use in children provide information on disease prevalence, physician practice and adherence to treatment. We undertook an evaluation of regional differences in prescription drug use by Manitoba children.
Methods: Using Manitoba's population-based prescription data for 1998/99, the prevalence of children receiving prescriptions for antibiotics, analgesics, iron supplements, and four classes of psychotropic drugs was reported for Regional Health Authorities and Winnipeg Community Areas, ranked by a measure of population healthiness, the premature mortality rate (PMR). Prevalence rates were also reported by census-based neighbourhood income areas.
Results: 60% of children received at least one prescription in 1998/99. Antibiotics, antiasthmatics, analgesics, antidepressants, and psychostimulants were the most commonly dispensed drugs. Prescription use of antibiotics, iron supplements, analgesics, antidepressants, antipsychotics and anxiolytics was highest in low income, urban neighbourhoods. Few associations between a region's PMR and prescription utilization were observed, but children living in regions with the least healthy populations were more likely to use antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and anxiolytics. Psychostimulant use was unrelated to neighbourhood income, but highest rates were documented in some of the healthiest Winnipeg neighbourhoods.
Conclusion: We documented regional variation in prescription use which may be related to differences in health, physician practice or child use.