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The background pattern of drug usage in Australia
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
|May 1, 1976
Summary
Australians consume a high volume of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, particularly analgesics. This extensive drug use is linked to potential health issues and reflects societal pressures.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Australian urban populations exhibit high drug consumption rates compared to global averages.
- Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme and Morbidity Survey data highlight significant per capita prescription rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate drug usage patterns in Australian urban settings.
- To assess the extent of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drug consumption.
- To explore potential associations between drug use and health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A 1-year study in Traralgon and Sydney, Australia.
- Involved household surveys of 10% of residents and pharmacist records.
- Utilized data from the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme and a general practitioner morbidity survey.
Main Results:
- Australians had high prescription rates (6-7 per capita) compared to Americans (4-5 per capita) in 1973.
- Annual expenditure on OTC drugs was estimated at $A19.07 per capita, with analgesics and cough suppressants being primary.
- Approximately 60% of Australians consumed two or more analgesic doses daily, with some exceeding 12 doses.
Conclusions:
- High analgesic consumption is postulated to correlate with iatrogenic diseases like analgesic nephropathy and gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
- The level of drug usage is considered symptomatic of urban societal stresses and a cultural acceptance of drug use.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the implications of widespread drug consumption.
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