Use of prescribed medications in a South Australian community sample

Abstract

Objective: To determine the extent of self-reported use of prescription medications in an Australian community sample.

Design, setting and participants: Face-to-face interviews with a random, representative sample of the South Australian population (aged > or = 15 years) living in metropolitan and rural areas. The study, a Health Omnibus Survey, was conducted between March and June 2004.

Main outcome measures: Reported number of prescribed medications used per person, most common categories of medication, and use by individuals of multiple medications for the same body system.

Results: From 4700 households selected, 3015 participants were interviewed (65.9% response rate). Of respondents, 46.8% were using prescribed medications; 171 respondents (5.7%) were taking six or more medications, and four were taking 16 or more; 23.2% were using medications for the cardiovascular system, with 11.9% using agents acting on the renin-angiotensin system. Prescription medication use increased with age, with over 10% of respondents aged > or = 55 years using six or more medications.

Conclusions: Use of multiple prescribed medications was common, with the potential for significant drug interactions. Assuming a similar pattern of medication use Australia-wide, reducing the number of prescribed medications by one for people taking six or more medications would save the federal government about 380 million dollars a year.