Determinants of drug utilisation in a Swedish municipality

The cost for pharmaceuticals is rapidly increasing in most countries. Identification of the characteristics of the population that determine drug utilisation appears essential for the appropriate allocation of resources to caregivers. The primary aim of this study was to identify sociodemographic factors and measures of well-being and disease that were independently related to the use of drugs, including herbal, and self-care products in Håbo, a Swedish primary health care district. Another aim was to evaluate combinations of such factors that may improve the prediction of drug utilisation.

A postal questionnaire was sent to a representative age-stratified population sample from Håbo. Out of 1312 subjects in the population sample, 827 (63%) answered the questionnaire. The questionnaire contained questions on sociodemographic variables, well-being and symptoms and use of drugs, herbal and self-care products.

Chronic disease was the most important of several factors that identified users of drugs. Other important factors were female sex, poor perceived health, sick-leave or disability pension and a high number of symptoms (complaint score). When combined, these variables could explain 18% of the use of prescribed pharmaceuticals using the logistic regression model.

Several sociodemographic characteristics as well as perceived health, complaint score and chronic disease were independently related to the use of drugs and self-care products. The likelihood of using prescribed drugs was very high in subjects with a certain profile. Eighteen per cent of the use could be attributed to this profile.