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Sociodemographic factors influencing the use of injections in South Korean outpatient care
Author(s) -
Lee IynHyang,
Park Sylvia,
Lee EuiKyung
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.023
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1099-1557
pISSN - 1053-8569
DOI - 10.1002/pds.3376
Subject(s) - medicine , medical prescription , logistic regression , odds ratio , odds , multivariate analysis , audit , outpatient clinic , family medicine , descriptive statistics , health care , emergency medicine , cross sectional study , nursing , statistics , management , mathematics , pathology , economics , economic growth
ABSTRACT Purpose This study explored the relationship between sociodemographic factors and injection utilization in South Korea. Methods We conducted a retrospective cross‐sectional analysis using 2009 prescription claims for Korean National Health Insurance beneficiaries. We analyzed the utilization, costs, and proportion of injections in the insured market for oral‐injection dual‐dose‐form ingredients (DFIs). We included outpatients who were prescribed DFIs with no age limits. Descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed to evaluate the predictive factors of injection use. Results Injections accounted for about 5% of outpatient utilization and costs of the study drugs. The odds of having injections were 1.3–1.6 times higher among those patients who are 70 years and older compared with those in the 20s, in smaller‐sized hospitals and clinics than that in larger, and among medical institutions in rural areas than those in the capital area. The odds of having injections were increased stepwise for the age groups of 30–69 years. Injections were more likely to be prescribed for systematic hormonal preparations and drugs for the musculoskeletal system. Conclusions The use of injections was higher among older groups, among smaller medical institutions, and among institutions in rural areas in Korean outpatient care. The difference between prescribing defined daily doses and prescribing rate for injections of the audit reports implies that Korean doctors prescribed injections often, but small doses for momentary effects in outpatient settings. Further studies are required to uncover the underlying causes of the high prevalence of injection use in older or rural populations and smaller institutions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.