Prescription medication use of United States military service members by therapeutic classification
Background: This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of, and factors associated with, filled prescription medications (FPMs) among United States (US) service members (SMs).Methods: A stratified random sample of active duty SMs from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy was obtain...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2022.972031/full |
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| author | Joseph J. Knapik Daniel W. Trone Ryan A. Steelman Emily K. Farina Harris R. Lieberman |
| author_facet | Joseph J. Knapik Daniel W. Trone Ryan A. Steelman Emily K. Farina Harris R. Lieberman |
| author_sort | Joseph J. Knapik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of, and factors associated with, filled prescription medications (FPMs) among United States (US) service members (SMs).Methods: A stratified random sample of active duty SMs from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy was obtained from military workforce records. Participants (n = 26,680) completed a questionnaire on demographics, physical characteristics, and lifestyle factors and approved access to their FPM for the previous 6 months. FPMs were obtained from the military Pharmacy Data Transaction Service that included all prescription medications dispensed at military medical treatment facilities, abroad, at retail pharmacies in the US, and/or through mail-order programs.Results: About two-thirds (65%) of SMs had ≥1 FPM in the 6 months surveillance period. Central nervous system (CNS) agents had the highest prevalence (41%), followed by anti-infective agents (20%), eye/ear/nose/throat preparations (20%), gastrointestinal drugs (18%), autonomic drugs (17%), skin and mucous membrane agents (13%), antihistamine drugs (12%), respiratory tract agents (12%) and cardiovascular drugs (9%). Among CNS agents, overall prevalence of dispensed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) was 30%. The odds of any FPM was independently associated with female gender, older age, higher body mass index, former tobacco use (smoking and smokeless tobacco), lower alcohol consumption, and was highest among Army, lowest among Marine Corps personnel.Conclusion: In this sample of SMs, dispensing of prescription medication was high, especially NSAIDs, but dispensing of cardiovascular drugs was much lower compared to the general US population, likely because of the younger age and higher level of physical activity of SMs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T18:12:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c136dc443ed9473aa29009fa8b3631fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1663-9812 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T18:12:30Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c136dc443ed9473aa29009fa8b3631fb2022-12-22T03:21:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122022-09-011310.3389/fphar.2022.972031972031Prescription medication use of United States military service members by therapeutic classificationJoseph J. Knapik0Daniel W. Trone1Ryan A. Steelman2Emily K. Farina3Harris R. Lieberman4Military Nutrition Division, United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, United StatesNaval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, United StatesUnited States Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, United StatesMilitary Nutrition Division, United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, United StatesMilitary Nutrition Division, United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, United StatesBackground: This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of, and factors associated with, filled prescription medications (FPMs) among United States (US) service members (SMs).Methods: A stratified random sample of active duty SMs from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy was obtained from military workforce records. Participants (n = 26,680) completed a questionnaire on demographics, physical characteristics, and lifestyle factors and approved access to their FPM for the previous 6 months. FPMs were obtained from the military Pharmacy Data Transaction Service that included all prescription medications dispensed at military medical treatment facilities, abroad, at retail pharmacies in the US, and/or through mail-order programs.Results: About two-thirds (65%) of SMs had ≥1 FPM in the 6 months surveillance period. Central nervous system (CNS) agents had the highest prevalence (41%), followed by anti-infective agents (20%), eye/ear/nose/throat preparations (20%), gastrointestinal drugs (18%), autonomic drugs (17%), skin and mucous membrane agents (13%), antihistamine drugs (12%), respiratory tract agents (12%) and cardiovascular drugs (9%). Among CNS agents, overall prevalence of dispensed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) was 30%. The odds of any FPM was independently associated with female gender, older age, higher body mass index, former tobacco use (smoking and smokeless tobacco), lower alcohol consumption, and was highest among Army, lowest among Marine Corps personnel.Conclusion: In this sample of SMs, dispensing of prescription medication was high, especially NSAIDs, but dispensing of cardiovascular drugs was much lower compared to the general US population, likely because of the younger age and higher level of physical activity of SMs.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2022.972031/fullcentral nervous system agentsnon-steroidal anti-inflammatory agentsantiinfective agentsanalgesics and antipyreticscentrally acting skeletal muscle relaxantsantidepressants |
| spellingShingle | Joseph J. Knapik Daniel W. Trone Ryan A. Steelman Emily K. Farina Harris R. Lieberman Prescription medication use of United States military service members by therapeutic classification Frontiers in Pharmacology central nervous system agents non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents antiinfective agents analgesics and antipyretics centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxants antidepressants |
| title | Prescription medication use of United States military service members by therapeutic classification |
| title_full | Prescription medication use of United States military service members by therapeutic classification |
| title_fullStr | Prescription medication use of United States military service members by therapeutic classification |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prescription medication use of United States military service members by therapeutic classification |
| title_short | Prescription medication use of United States military service members by therapeutic classification |
| title_sort | prescription medication use of united states military service members by therapeutic classification |
| topic | central nervous system agents non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents antiinfective agents analgesics and antipyretics centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxants antidepressants |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2022.972031/full |
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