Agreement between self-reported data on medicine use and prescription records vary according to method of analysis and therapeutic group.

OBJECTIVE: This study compared national self-reported data on medicine use and national prescription records at the individual level. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Data from the nationally representative Danish health survey conducted in 2000 (n=16,688) were linked at the individual level to national prescription records covering 1999-2000. Kappa statistics and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: Applying the legend time method to medicine groups used mainly on a chronic basis revealed good to very good agreement between the two data sources, whereas medicines used as needed showed fair to moderate agreement. When a fixed-time window was applied for analysis, agreement was unchanged for medicines used mainly on a chronic basis, whereas agreement increased somewhat compared to the legend time method when analyzing medicines used as needed. CONCLUSION: Agreement between national self-reported data and national prescription records differed according to method of analysis and therapeutic group. A fixed-time window is an appropriate method of analysis for most therapeutic groups.

Use of natural medicines in the Danish population: a national cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The use of natural medicines is widespread and increasing. In addition, natural medicine use is based primarily on individual's decisions without counseling from health professionals. Unlike with conventional medicines, it is not possible to evaluate sales statistics and prescription records to determine how much natural medicine is being used and by whom. Self-reporting is the only method available for investigating use of these products. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of natural medicines with respect to sociodemographic factors, health status, and conventional drug therapy in a general national population. METHODS: Data were derived from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 2000. A representative sample of the Danish population (N = 16 690) was interviewed face-to-face. The association between use of natural medicines within the past 14 days and age, education, health status, and conventional medicine use was analyzed by logistic regression. All analyses were performed separately for each gender. RESULTS: Fourteen percent of the sample population had taken natural medicines within the past 14 days. Use was most prevalent among women and increased with age, but decreased again in the oldest age group (> or = 80 y). Respondents with poor health were the greatest consumers of natural medicines. Use was not associated with educational level and conventional drug therapy. Among conventional medicine users, 14% and 22% of men and women, respectively, used natural medicines. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that natural medicine use is common and widespread health behavior in all strata of the population and should not be regarded as an alternative to conventional medicine. Clinicians should ask patients about natural medicine use to avoid interactions with conventional drugs.