Self-prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine-year follow-up study of a nationwide sample
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Self-prescribing among doctors is common, but no longitudinal studies have documented this issue. We studied the self-prescribing behaviour among young Norwegian physicians and the predictors of self-prescribing.</p> <p>M...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2005-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Medicine |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/3/16 |
| _version_ | 1818665365330198528 |
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| author | Vaglum Per Grønvold Nina T Tyssen Reidar Stokke Guro Hem Erlend Ekeberg Øivind |
| author_facet | Vaglum Per Grønvold Nina T Tyssen Reidar Stokke Guro Hem Erlend Ekeberg Øivind |
| author_sort | Vaglum Per |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Self-prescribing among doctors is common, but no longitudinal studies have documented this issue. We studied the self-prescribing behaviour among young Norwegian physicians and the predictors of self-prescribing.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a nationwide, prospective and longitudinal study following young Norwegian physicians from internship through the subsequent nine years using three postal questionnaires. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models were applied.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>About 54% of the physicians in their fourth and ninth postgraduate years had self-prescribed medication at least once during the previous year. Among those who had used prescription medication during the previous year, about 90% had self-prescribed. Self-prescribing behaviour did not differ significantly between men and women, or according to the type of work at any time. The most frequently self-prescribed medications were antibiotics (71%–81%), contraceptives (24%–25%), analgesics (18%–21%), and hypnotics (9%–12%). Those who had needed treatment for mental problems had self-prescribed hypnotics and sedatives to a greater extent than the others. Being male, having self-prescribed during internship, somatic complaints, mental distress, subjective health complaints, and not having sought help from a general practitioner, were significant adjusted predictors of self-prescribing in the ninth postgraduate year.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The level of self-prescribing among young Norwegian physicians is relatively high, and this behaviour is established early in their professional lives. Although self-prescribing is acceptable in some situations, physicians should seek professional help for illness. Efforts to inculcate more rational help-seeking behaviour should probably start in medical schools.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:47:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-57eb5e9148d74eb9bd6c12061177ca0e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1741-7015 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:47:29Z |
| publishDate | 2005-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-57eb5e9148d74eb9bd6c12061177ca0e2022-12-21T22:01:17ZengBMCBMC Medicine1741-70152005-10-01311610.1186/1741-7015-3-16Self-prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine-year follow-up study of a nationwide sampleVaglum PerGrønvold Nina TTyssen ReidarStokke GuroHem ErlendEkeberg Øivind<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Self-prescribing among doctors is common, but no longitudinal studies have documented this issue. We studied the self-prescribing behaviour among young Norwegian physicians and the predictors of self-prescribing.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a nationwide, prospective and longitudinal study following young Norwegian physicians from internship through the subsequent nine years using three postal questionnaires. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models were applied.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>About 54% of the physicians in their fourth and ninth postgraduate years had self-prescribed medication at least once during the previous year. Among those who had used prescription medication during the previous year, about 90% had self-prescribed. Self-prescribing behaviour did not differ significantly between men and women, or according to the type of work at any time. The most frequently self-prescribed medications were antibiotics (71%–81%), contraceptives (24%–25%), analgesics (18%–21%), and hypnotics (9%–12%). Those who had needed treatment for mental problems had self-prescribed hypnotics and sedatives to a greater extent than the others. Being male, having self-prescribed during internship, somatic complaints, mental distress, subjective health complaints, and not having sought help from a general practitioner, were significant adjusted predictors of self-prescribing in the ninth postgraduate year.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The level of self-prescribing among young Norwegian physicians is relatively high, and this behaviour is established early in their professional lives. Although self-prescribing is acceptable in some situations, physicians should seek professional help for illness. Efforts to inculcate more rational help-seeking behaviour should probably start in medical schools.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/3/16 |
| spellingShingle | Vaglum Per Grønvold Nina T Tyssen Reidar Stokke Guro Hem Erlend Ekeberg Øivind Self-prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine-year follow-up study of a nationwide sample BMC Medicine |
| title | Self-prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine-year follow-up study of a nationwide sample |
| title_full | Self-prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine-year follow-up study of a nationwide sample |
| title_fullStr | Self-prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine-year follow-up study of a nationwide sample |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine-year follow-up study of a nationwide sample |
| title_short | Self-prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine-year follow-up study of a nationwide sample |
| title_sort | self prescribing among young norwegian doctors a nine year follow up study of a nationwide sample |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/3/16 |
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