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. 2010 Dec 2:2:273-9.
doi: 10.2147/CLEP.S13458.

Existing data sources for clinical epidemiology: Aarhus University Prescription Database

Vera Ehrenstein  1 , Sussie Antonsen, Lars Pedersen
Affiliations

Existing data sources for clinical epidemiology: Aarhus University Prescription Database

Vera Ehrenstein et al. Clin Epidemiol. .

Abstract

Population-based prescription databases in Nordic countries have become a mainstay of epidemiologic research. Denmark has both national and regional population-based prescription databases. Aarhus University Prescription Database collects data on reimbursed medications dispensed at all community pharmacies of the North Denmark Region and the Central Denmark Region. The regions have a combined population of 1.8 million inhabitants, or one-third of the Danish population. Denmark's primary health care sector, which includes general practitioners, specialists, and dentists, generates about 96% of the prescription sales, most of which are reimbursable and are dispensed by the community pharmacies. The Aarhus University Prescription Database combines the region's pharmacy records in a single database, maintained and updated for research purposes. Each dispensation record contains patient-, drug-, and prescriber-related data. Dispensation records retain patients' universal personal identifier, which allows for individual-level linkage to all Danish registries and medical databases. The linked data have many applications in clinical epidemiology, including drug utilization studies, safety monitoring, etiologic research, and validation studies.

Keywords: epidemiology; prescriptions; registry-based research.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The five regions of Denmark formed by the 2007 municipal reform (source: www.fm.dk).a Note: aEnglish names are given according to Danish Regions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentage of dispensations recorded in the Regional Prescriptions Databases of the North Denmark region and Central Denmark region by anatomical therapeutic chemical group (2009).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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