Seeking prescribing patterns in rural Crete: a pharmacoepidemiological study from a primary care area (original) (raw)

Deliberation of drug prescribing patterns is essential in an effort to improve prescribing standards and quality of care. It is vital for pharmaco-epidemiological research. In this study, data from GPs' practices was used to explore variation in the prescribing patterns in a rural area of Crete. This article reports the findings with respect to the patients' age, sex and diagnoses, and discusses them with the broad aim of identifying areas for practice improvement. One thousand prescriptions, issued during a one-year period, were pre-selected from the area of Anogia Health Centre in Crete, Greece. A copy of each pre-selected prescription was made, and a short pre-tested questionnaire with supplementary information about the prescription was filled. Age, gender, prescription through a third person's intervention, and renewal of an old prescription, were registered on this questionnaire. Drugs were classified according to the International Classification of Primary Care--D...