Article: The all-powerful and 'happy' drug: The use of steroids among primary care doctors in Hong Kong

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TitleThe all-powerful and 'happy' drug: The use of steroids among primary care doctors in Hong Kong
AuthorsWong, WCW1 2
You, JHS2
KeywordsHong Kong
Prescription
Primary care
Steroid
Issue Date2006
PublisherBlackwell Publishing Ltd
CitationJournal Of Clinical Pharmacy And Therapeutics, 2006, v. 31 n. 2, p. 173-178 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2710.2006.00721.x
AbstractBackground: Steroids are commonly used, but their prescribing pattern and factors associated with their use in the primary care setting are largely unknown. Methods: Using diagnosis and drug data obtained from logbooks submitted by participants in the Diploma in Family Medicine course between 1999 and 2004, we selected and analysed all patients with a prescription of steroid as well as conditions in which it was prescribed. Factors, relating to patients or doctors, which could be associated with steroid prescription were recorded for both the prescribed and the non-prescribed groups. The results were compared using chi-square tests. Results: Steroids were prescribed in 7·1% of all patient encounters, of which dermatological and respiratory diseases were the most two common conditions. Upper respiratory tract infections accounted for a third of all respiratory diseases in which steroid was prescribed. Female or 'minor' patients (OR 1·16, 95% CI 1·01-1·32 and 1·16, 1·00-1·36 respectively) were more likely to be given a steroid and younger doctors (1·52, 1·25-1·86) were more likely to prescribe them. Conclusion: Some patterns of poor prescribing practice were demonstrated in this study. Campaigns by professional bodies may improve prescribing among our community doctors and effective public education programmes are needed to modify the health beliefs and expectations of the general public. © 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
ISSN0269-4727
2011 Impact Factor: 1.57
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.099
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2710.2006.00721.x
ReferencesReferences in Scopus
DC Field
Value
dc.contributor.authorWong, WCW
dc.contributor.authorYou, JHS
dc.date.accessioned2011-03-28T09:24:38Z
dc.date.available2011-03-28T09:24:38Z
dc.date.issued2006
dc.description.abstractBackground: Steroids are commonly used, but their prescribing pattern and factors associated with their use in the primary care setting are largely unknown. Methods: Using diagnosis and drug data obtained from logbooks submitted by participants in the Diploma in Family Medicine course between 1999 and 2004, we selected and analysed all patients with a prescription of steroid as well as conditions in which it was prescribed. Factors, relating to patients or doctors, which could be associated with steroid prescription were recorded for both the prescribed and the non-prescribed groups. The results were compared using chi-square tests. Results: Steroids were prescribed in 7·1% of all patient encounters, of which dermatological and respiratory diseases were the most two common conditions. Upper respiratory tract infections accounted for a third of all respiratory diseases in which steroid was prescribed. Female or 'minor' patients (OR 1·16, 95% CI 1·01-1·32 and 1·16, 1·00-1·36 respectively) were more likely to be given a steroid and younger doctors (1·52, 1·25-1·86) were more likely to prescribe them. Conclusion: Some patterns of poor prescribing practice were demonstrated in this study. Campaigns by professional bodies may improve prescribing among our community doctors and effective public education programmes are needed to modify the health beliefs and expectations of the general public. © 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
dc.description.naturelink_to_subscribed_fulltext
dc.identifier.citationJournal Of Clinical Pharmacy And Therapeutics, 2006, v. 31 n. 2, p. 173-178 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2710.2006.00721.x
dc.identifier.citeulike575580
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2710.2006.00721.x
dc.identifier.eissn1365-2710
dc.identifier.epage178
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000237472300009
dc.identifier.issn0269-4727
2011 Impact Factor: 1.57
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.099
dc.identifier.issue2
dc.identifier.pmid16635052
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-33645466644
dc.identifier.spage173
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/132442
dc.identifier.volume31
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherBlackwell Publishing Ltd
dc.publisher.placeUnited Kingdom
dc.relation.ispartofJournal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics
dc.relation.referencesReferences in Scopus
dc.subjectHong Kong
dc.subjectPrescription
dc.subjectPrimary care
dc.subjectSteroid
dc.titleThe all-powerful and 'happy' drug: The use of steroids among primary care doctors in Hong Kong
dc.typeArticle
Author Affiliations
  1. Prince of Wales Hospital Hong Kong
  2. Chinese University of Hong Kong