Influence exerted on drug prescribing by patients’ attitudes and expectations and by doctors’ perception of such expectations: a cohort and nested case‐control study

作者：E. Ugarriza Lado, Manuel Vacariza, Carlos Fernández‐González, Juan Jesus Gestal, Adolfo Figueiras · 发表于：Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice · 年份：2008 · DOI：10.1111/j.1365-2753.2007.00901.x · 被引用次数：30 · 研究领域：Antibiotic Use and Resistance、Medication Adherence and Compliance、Pharmaceutical industry and healthcare

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Although demand for medication is regarded as one of the most important factors in pharmaceutical expenditure, little is known about patients' influence on drug prescribing. This study assesses the influence exerted on drug prescribing by patients' attitudes and expectations, and by doctors' perception of such expectations. METHOD: We conducted a population-based cohort study covering 937 subjects attending a health centre in the northwest of Spain. Prescription-drug advertising directly targeted at patients is banned in Spain. We conducted home-based interviews at the start of follow-up to assess patients' attitudes, and monthly telephone interviews during the 1-year follow-up period to assess consumption of medical drugs and medical visits. Using nested case-control study covering 127 of the cohort subjects who attended the health centre, we assessed patients' pre-consultation expectations for prescriptions, doctors' perception of such patients' expectations, and the drugs actually prescribed. RESULTS: Of the total sample, 69.3% answered the home-based questionnaire, 77.6% completed 11 or more months of follow-up, and 100% of cohort subjects who attended the health centre responded to the pre-consultation survey conducted in the waiting room. Patients' attitudes, though not associated with prescription (P > 0.1), were, however, associated with demand for medical consultation (P < 0.01), self-medication (P < 0.01) and prescription expectations...