Evidence of validity for the Norwegian version of the interprofessional collaborative competency attainment survey (ICCAS).

This was a validation study of the Norwegian version of The Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS). ICCAS consists of 20 retrospective pre- and post-questions, where respondents rate their agreement with regard to self-assessed competencies after participating in interprofessional education courses. It has been validated across various settings. The questionnaire was translated using the back-translation technique. We investigated evidence of validity regarding content, response process, and internal structure. Data were obtained from health and social care students (n = 1440, response rate 42.8%) participating in 12 different interprofessional courses in seven education institutions in Norway using a cross-sectional design. Exploratory factor analysis indicated one retracted factor for pre-scores and one retracted factor for post-scores. High McDonald's omega values indicated good internal consistency. Item deletion did not improve the scale's overall consistency on pre- or post-scores. We observed higher mean post-scores than pre-scores with moderate-to-large effect sizes, indicating a positive change in self-assessed interprofessional capabilities after training. Our findings indicate that the Norwegian version of ICCAS is a valid tool that may be implemented across a wide range of interprofessional education courses. Finally, our findings support earlier recommendations that ICCAS should be analyzed at an overall level to address change in interprofessional capabilities.

Lessons learned from introducing huddle boards to involve nursing staff in targeted observation and reporting of medication effect in a nursing home.

BACKGROUND: Medication administration and management in nursing homes can occur during all phases of the medication process. The aim of this study was to investigate if an introduction of a systematic use of huddle board led to an increased amount of documentation in the patient record of observations of effects and side effects following a change in medication. METHODS: A three-layer intervention approach combining huddle boards, educating the entire staff in medication observation and documentation, and frequent feedback to the staff about the outcome was applied. A standard was set for the expected reporting. Correlation between expected and actual reporting as an average was calculated and the staff received weekly updates on their observation-reporting results. RESULTS: The huddle board became a hub in providing an overview of the expectations of observations. To visualize the impact of the intervention, use of a run chart gave comprehensive information about the extent to which the expected goal of documentation was reached. Four different organizational steps and one individual action in the last step were taken to improve the observation-reporting. The identifying of the nonreporting nurses and individual staff guidance to these nurses resulted in a significant improvement in observation-reporting. The expected goal of 100% average reporting was achieved 6 months after all wards were included in the improvement project. CONCLUSION: The combination of huddle boards, educating the entire staff in observation and documentation, and frequent feedback to the staff about the outcome proved to be a useful approach in medication safety work in nursing homes.

Admissions to the medical department - who admits and why. / Innleggelser i medisinsk avdeling ­ hvem legger inn og hvorfor.

BAKGRUNN: Hensikten med denne studien var å kartlegge grunnlaget for innleggelser ved en stor medisinsk avdeling i Norge. Vi har vurdert mulige alternativer til innleggelse og hvorvidt triagering kan bidra til å identifisere aktuelle pasienter. MATERIALE OG METODE: Alle innleggelser ved Medisinsk avdeling ved Drammen sykehus i en full uke høsten 2014 ble registrert med pasientens alder, kjønn, liggetid, innleggende lege/instans, hvor vedkommende ble innlagt fra og diagnose ved innleggelse og utskrivning. Alternativer til innleggelse vurdert ut fra tilstanden ved avreise fra primærhelsetjenesten ble systematisk evaluert av to fastleger og en erfaren lege ved medisinsk avdeling ved gjennomgang av innleggelsesskrivene. Pasientene ble triagert i akuttmottaket umiddelbart etter ankomst, og tilstandens alvorlighetsgrad ble sammenholdt med mulige alternativer til innleggelse. RESULTATER: Studien omfattet 255 innleggelser (52 % kvinner, gjennomsnittsalder 62 år). Innleggende lege var i 57 % av tilfellene fra primærhelsetjenesten (fastlege 26 %, legevakt 31 %) og i 24 %fra spesialisthelsetjenesten. Innleggelsen var uten direkte legehenvisning i 18 % av tilfellene. De hyppigste innleggelsesdiagnosene var hjertesykdommer (38 %), lungesykdommer (11 %) og infeksjoner (9 %). Hos 7 % av de pasientene som var innlagt av primærlege (fastlege/legevaktlege), fant vi mulige alternativer til innleggelse, oftest innleggelse i kommunal akutt døgnplass (KAD). Det var ingen sammenheng mellom triagering og alternativ til innleggelse. FORTOLKNING: Andelen innleggelser fra fastlege var høyere enn i tilsvarende studier. Én av 15 innleggelser (7 %) ble vurdert som aktuell for alternativ. Triagering skiller ikke ut pasientforløp som er egnet for alternativ til innleggelse.

Patients' and GPs' expectations regarding healthcare-seeking behaviour: a Norwegian comparative study.

BACKGROUND: GPs are Norwegian patients' first contact point with the healthcare system for most medical problems. However, little is known regarding GPs' expectations towards their patients' healthcare-seeking behaviour, or whether doctors and patients have coinciding expectations of what GPs can do for their patients. AIM: To investigate patients' and GPs' expectations regarding patients' healthcare-seeking behaviour in primary care, and to make comparisons between the two. DESIGN & SETTING: Norwegian data from the Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe (QUALICOPC) questionnaire study, with information from GPs and their patients. METHOD: Binary logistic regression was used to investigate associations between expectations, sex and age of GPs and patients, list size, and geographical location of practice. Results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Expectation differences between GPs and patients were analysed using generalised estimating equations (GEEs). Due to multiple testing, Bonferroni correction was used to define significance level at P≤0.002. RESULTS: In total, 198 GPs (39.1% female) and 1529 patients (61.9% female) responded. No associations with sex or age were found for the GPs' expectations regarding patients' healthcare-seeking behaviour. Among patients, fewer males than females expected that most people would see their GP for sprained ankle (OR 0.7, 95% CI = 0.5 to 0.9), finger cut (OR 0.6, 95% CI = 0.4 to 0.7), smoking cessation (OR 0.6, 95% CI = 0.5 to 0.8), or anxiety (OR 0.4, 95% CI = 0.3 to 0.6). Older patients (aged >65 years) found it more important than younger patients to see a doctor in the presence of medical symptoms. GPs had higher expectations than their patients that people in general would see them for deteriorated vision (OR 4.2, 95% CI = 2.5 to 6.9), sexual problems (OR 1.8, 95% CI =1.3 to 2.6), and anxiety (OR 3.0, 95% CI =1.5 to 6.0). CONCLUSION: For several common health problems, males are less likely than females to believe that people will see their GP. GPs may overestimate to what degree their patients will see them for a number of common medical problems.

Differences in medical services in Nordic general practice: a comparative survey from the QUALICOPC study.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to describe medical services provided by Nordic general practitioners (GPs), and to explore possible differences between the countries. DESIGN AND SETTING: We did a comparative analysis of selected data from the Nordic part of the study Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe. SUBJECTS: 875 Nordic GPs (198 Norwegian, 80 Icelandic, 97 Swedish, 212 Danish and 288 Finnish) answered identical questionnaires regarding their practices. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The GPs indicated which equipment they used in practice, which procedures that were carried out, and to what extent they were involved in treatment/follow-up of a selection of diagnoses. RESULTS: The Danish GPs performed minor surgical procedures significantly less frequent than GPs in all other countries, although they inserted intrauterine devices significantly more often than GPs in Iceland, Sweden and Finland. Finnish GPs performed a majority of the medical procedures more frequently than GPs in the other countries. The GPs in Iceland reported involvement in a more narrow selection of conditions than the GPs in the other countries. The Finnish GPs had more advanced technical equipment than GPs in all other Nordic countries. CONCLUSION: GPs in all Nordic countries are well equipped and offer a wide range of medical services, yet with a substantial variation between countries. There was no clear pattern of GPs in one country doing consistently more procedures, having consistently more equipment and treating a larger diversity of medical conditions than GPs in the other countries. However, structural factors seemed to affect the services offered.

Differences in medical services in Nordic general practice: a comparative survey from the QUALICOPC study.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to describe medical services provided by Nordic general practitioners (GPs), and to explore possible differences between the countries. DESIGN AND SETTING: We did a comparative analysis of selected data from the Nordic part of the study Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe (QUALICOPC). SUBJECTS: A total of 875 Nordic GPs (198 Norwegian, 80 Icelandic, 97 Swedish, 212 Danish and 288 Finnish) answered identical questionnaires regarding their practices. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The GPs indicated which equipment they used in practice, which procedures that were carried out, and to what extent they were involved in treatment/follow-up of a selection of diagnoses. RESULTS: The Danish GPs performed minor surgical procedures significantly less frequent than GPs in all other countries, although they inserted IUDs significantly more often than GPs in Iceland, Sweden and Finland. Finnish GPs performed a majority of the medical procedures more frequently than GPs in the other countries. The GPs in Iceland reported involvement in a more narrow selection of conditions than the GPs in the other countries. The Finnish GPs had more advanced technical equipment than GPs in all other Nordic countries. CONCLUSIONS: GPs in all Nordic countries are well equipped and offer a wide range of medical services, yet with a substantial variation between countries. There was no clear pattern of GPs in one country doing consistently more procedures, having consistently more equipment and treating a larger diversity of medical conditions than GPs in the other countries. However, structural factors seemed to affect the services offered.

General practitioners' views on leadership roles and challenges in primary health care: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore general practitioners' (GPs) views on leadership roles and leadership challenges in general practice and primary health care. DESIGN: We conducted focus groups (FGs) with 17 GPs. SETTING: Norwegian primary health care. SUBJECTS: 17 GPs who attended a 5 d course on leadership in primary health care. RESULTS: Our study suggests that the GPs experience a need for more preparation and formal training for the leadership role, and that they experienced tensions between the clinical and leadership role. GPs recognized the need to take on leadership roles in primary care, but their lack of leadership training and credentials, and the way in which their practices were organized and financed were barriers towards their involvement. CONCLUSIONS: GPs experience tensions between the clinical and leadership role and note a lack of leadership training and awareness. There is a need for a more structured educational and career path for GPs, in which doctors are offered training and preparation in advance. KEY POINTS Little is known about doctors' experiences and views about leadership in general practice and primary health care. Our study suggests that: There is a lack of preparation and formal training for the leadership role. GPs experience tensions between the clinical and leadership role. GPs recognize leadership challenges at a system level and that doctors should take on leadership roles in primary health care.

Patient experiences and the association with organizational factors in general practice: results from the Norwegian part of the international, multi-centre, cross-sectional QUALICOPC study.

BACKGROUND: General practitioners (GPs) constitute a vital part of a strong primary health care system. We need further knowledge concerning factors that may affect the patients' experiences in their meetings with the GPs. We investigated to what degree organizational factors and GP characteristics are associated with patients' communicative experiences in a consultation. METHODS: We used data from the Norwegian part of the international, multi-center study Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe (QUALICOPC). We included 198 Norwegian GPs and 1529 patients. The patients completed a survey concerning experiences in a consultation with a GP on the inclusion day. The GPs completed a survey regarding organizational aspects of their own practice. Main outcome measures were seven statements concerning how the patients experienced the communication with the GP during the consultation. A generalized estimating equation logistic regression model was used to identify variations in patient experiences associated with characteristics of the GPs and their practices. RESULTS: The patients reported overall positive experiences with their GP consultations. Patients who consulted a GP with a short patient list were less likely than patients who consulted a GP with a medium sized list to regard the GP as polite (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.2; 95 % CI 0.1-0.7), to report that the GP asked questions about their health problems (OR 0.6; 0.4-1.0) or that the GP used sufficient time (OR 0.5; CI 0.3-0.9). Patients who consulted a GP with a long patient list compared to patients who consulted a GP with a medium sized list were less likely to feel that they could cope better after the GP visit (OR 0.5; 0.3-0.9) and more likely to feel that the GP hardly looked at them while talking (OR 1.8; 1.0-3.0). No associations with patient experiences were found with the average duration of the consultations, whether the GP worked in a fee-for-service model or whether the GP was the patient's regular doctor. CONCLUSIONS: Norwegian patients report predominantly positive experiences when consulting a GP. Positive communication experiences are most likely to be reported when the GP has a medium sized patient list.

How adolescents experience and cope with pain in daily life: a qualitative study on ways to cope and the use of over-the-counter analgesics.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe how different adolescents experience and manage pain in their daily life, with a focus on their use of over-the-counter analgesics. More specifically, the aim was to explore different patterns among the adolescents in pain descriptions, in the management of pain, in relationships with others, and in their daily life. DESIGN: Qualitative semistructured interviews on experiences with pain, pain management and involvement of family and friends during pain. Pain and stress management strategies and attachment theory will be in focus for interpretations. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 25 participants aged 15-16-years from six different junior high schools, both genders, with and without immigrant background were interviewed at their local schools in Norway. RESULTS: We identified 4 groups of adolescents with similarities in attitudes and management strategies to pain: 'pain is manageable', 'pain is communicable', 'pain is inevitable' and 'pain is all over'. The participants within each group differed in how they engaged their parents in pain; how they perceived, communicated and managed pain; and how they involved emotions and used over-the-counter analgesics. CONCLUSIONS: The adolescents' different involvement with the family during pain related to their pain perception and management. Knowledge of the different ways of approaching pain is important when supporting adolescents and may be a subject for further research on the use of over-the-counter analgesics in the family.

Living with mentally ill parents during adolescence: a risk factor for future welfare dependence? A longitudinal, population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Living with parents suffering from mental illness can influence adolescents' health and well-being, and adverse effects may persist into adulthood. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between parents' mental health problems reported by their 15-16-year-old adolescents, the potential protective effect of social support and long-term dependence on public welfare assistance in young adulthood. METHODS: The study linked data from a youth health survey conducted during 1999-2004 among approximately 14 000 15-16-year-olds to data from high-quality, compulsory Norwegian registries that followed each participant through February 2010. Cox regression was used to compute hazard ratios for long-term welfare dependence in young adulthood based on several risk factors in 15-16-year-olds, including their parents' mental health problems. RESULTS: Of the total study population, 10% (1397) reported having parents who suffered from some level of mental health problems during the 12 months prior to the baseline survey; 3% (420) reported that their parents had frequent mental health problems. Adolescent report of their parents' mental health problems was associated with the adolescents' long-term welfare dependence during follow-up, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.49 (CI 1.29-1.71), 1.82 (1.44-2.31) and 2.13 (CI 1.59-2.85) for some trouble, moderate trouble and frequent trouble, respectively, compared with report of no trouble with mental health problems. The associations remained significant after adjusting for socio-demographic factors, although additionally correcting for the adolescents' own health status accounted for most of the effect. Perceived support from family, friends, classmates and teachers was analysed separately and each was associated with a lower risk of later welfare dependence. Family and classmate support remained a protective factor for welfare dependence after correcting for all study covariates (HR 0.84, CI 0.78-0.90 and 0.80, 0.75-0.85). We did not find evidence supporting a hypothesized buffering effect of social support. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to a parent's mental health problem during adolescence may represent a risk for future welfare dependence in young adulthood. Perceived social support, from family and classmates in particular, may be a protective factor against future long-term welfare dependence.

Patients' experience of their general practitioner's follow-up of serious eating disorders.

BACKGROUND: An eating disorder is an illness that may take a life-threatening course. The health authorities recommend that general practitioners (GPs) should be included in the treatment apparatus. The patients' feelings of shame, denial of the illness and ambivalence with regard to treatment are disease-specific characteristics that need to be considered. MATERIAL AND METHOD: At two specialised units for eating disorders, patients aged over 18 were handed a questionnaire at the start of their treatment. The questionnaire dealt with GP consultations in which the eating disorder had been discussed. An active GP-patient relationship was defined based on whether the patient had seen the GP at least three times, whether the GP's office was in proximity to the patient's place of residence and whether the eating disorder had been discussed during the past year. RESULTS: Altogether 114 patients (90%) took part in the study. 66% had an active GP-patient relationship, and 65% of these had discussed with their GP the impact of the disease on their daily lives. Altogether 75% were satisfied with the GP's manner, 47% found the GP to be an important supporter of their treatment and 44% visited their GP if their condition worsened. Those patients who were severely underweight and patients with GPs who demonstrated commitment scored highest on satisfaction and support. A total of 39% of those who had experience of treatment in which their current GP could have been involved in collaboration with the second-line service had found such involvement to be the case. INTERPRETATION: The patients had varying experience of follow-up provided by their GPs. Commitment on the part of the GP appears to result in closer follow-up and greater patient satisfaction.

Communication about symptoms of eating disorders in the general practitioner surgery.

BACKGROUND: An eating disorder is a complex disease in which the patient subjects his or her body to the various eating disorder symptoms in the absence of other ways of dealing with everyday life. There are seven symptoms of an eating disorder that generally appear in different combinations from one period to another in one and the same patient. Feelings of shame may cause information on symptoms to be withheld. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Patients aged 18 and above with serious eating disorders responded anonymously to a questionnaire before entering treatment in two specialist departments. The main focus was on whether the patient had talked with a general practitioner (GP) about relevant eating disorder symptoms and ailments that could be related to the eating disorder. RESULTS: Altogether 114 patients participated (of which three were men). A total of 91 (80%) had discussed the eating disorder with their GP during the past year. Of these, 67% of those who had reduced their food intake over the past year had discussed this with their GP. Altogether 68% of those who had vomited and 33% of those who had over-exercised had communicated this. None of the respondents had revealed their use of diuretic or weight-loss drugs to their GP. 85% of respondents stated that the GP must ask specifically about each symptom of an eating disorder in order to reveal these. At least half had discussed the association between current ailments and the eating disorder. A total of 49% had been weighed. INTERPRETATION: In order to be able to establish the best possible basis for a medical assessment, the GP should ask specifically about each symptom of an eating disorder.

Behaviour among children of substance-abusing women attending a Special Child Welfare Clinic in Norway, as assessed by Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).

BACKGROUND: A Special Child Welfare Clinic (SCWC) in Norway provides care for pregnant women with substance abuse problems. Treatment is given without substitution. This investigation assesses the behaviour of the children between the ages 6 and 13 years of women who attended the clinic. It also explores the correlation between the behaviour and a neuropsychological screening performed one and a half year earlier. The study was set up to investigate the influence of prenatal substance exposure. METHOD: Thirty-eight SCWC children and 63 children in a comparison group were scored by Child Behavior Check List (CBCL). Twenty-one (55%) SCWC mothers were classed as short-term users (ceased substance abuse before the end of first trimester), and 17 (45%) were classed as long-term users (continued a moderate substance abuse throughout pregnancy). Thirteen (77%) of the children of the long-term users were living in foster homes at the time of the investigation. RESULTS: SCWC children were scored within normal ranges for most items, but their scores were significantly worse than those of the comparison group. Children of short-term users were given lower scores than comparisons on more issues in CBCL than were children of long-term users. The SCWC children were breastfed for a shorter time (p = 0.023) and had moved house more often (p < 0.001) than comparisons. SCWC children living with their biological mothers received more special education or remedial classes (p ≤ 0.001) than children of the comparisons. CONCLUSION: Most children of long-term users were living in foster homes. Notably, children of short-term users, that is, children living with their biological mothers, were given lower scores than comparisons in CBCL. Children of short-term users were more likely to receive special education than children of comparisons. More research is needed on how to reveal parenting problems and how to guide mothers with previous or present substance abuse problems.

Neuropsychological screening of children of substance-abusing women attending a Special Child Welfare Clinic in Norway.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to alcohol and illicit substances during pregnancy can have an impact on the child for the rest of his/her life. A Special Child Welfare Clinic (SCWC) in Norway provides care for pregnant women with substance abuse problems. Treatment and support are provided without replacement therapy. METHODS: We performed a neuropsychological screening of 40 children aged four to 11 years whose mothers had attended the SCWC during pregnancy, and of a comparison group of 80 children of women without substance abuse problems. The children were presented with tests chosen from Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, third version (WISC-III), Nepsy, Halstead-Reitan and Raven's Progressive Matrices, Coloured Version. The tests were grouped into five main domains; (1) learning and memory, (2) visual scanning, planning and attention, (3) executive function, (4) visuo-motor speed and dexterity and (5) general intellectual ability RESULTS: No children in the study had test results in the clinical range in any domain. Bivariate analyses revealed that children of short-term substance-abusing mothers (who stopped substance abuse within the first trimester) had significantly lower test scores than the comparison group in three out of five domains (domain 2,3,4). Children of long-term substance abusers (who maintained moderate substance abuse throughout pregnancy) had significantly lower test results than the comparison group in one domain of the test results (domain 1). All but one child in the long-term group were or had been in foster homes. Most children in the short-term group stayed with their mothers. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that foster care minimum 50% of life time was associated with better scores on domains (1) learning and memory, (2) visual scanning, planning and attention, and (3) executive functions, while no significant associations with test scores was found for substance abuse and birth before 38 weeks of gestation. CONCLUSION: Children raised by former substance abusing mothers scored worse on the neuropsychological screening than children who had substance abusing mothers and mostly were raised in foster homes. This indicates that it is important to focus on the environment in cases where help and support are provided to presently or formerly addicted women raising children.

Hypnosis as a treatment of chronic widespread pain in general practice: a randomized controlled pilot trial.

BACKGROUND: Hypnosis treatment in general practice is a rather new concept. This pilot study was performed to evaluate the effect of a standardized hypnosis treatment used in general practice for patients with chronic widespread pain (CWP). METHODS: The study was designed as a randomized control group-controlled study. Sixteen patients were randomized into a treatment group or a control group, each constituting eight patients. Seven patients in the treatment group completed the schedule. After the control period, five of the patients in the control group also received treatment, making a total of 12 patients having completed the treatment sessions. The intervention group went through a standardized hypnosis treatment with ten consecutive therapeutic sessions once a week, each lasting for about 30 minutes, focusing on ego-strengthening, relaxation, releasing muscular tension and increasing self-efficacy. A questionnaire was developed in order to calibrate the symptoms before and after the 10 weeks period, and the results were interpolated into a scale from 0 to 100, increasing numbers representing increasing suffering. Data were analyzed by means of T-tests. RESULTS: The treatment group improved from their symptoms, (change from 62.5 to 55.4), while the control group deteriorated, (change from 37.2 to 45.1), (p = 0,045). The 12 patients who completed the treatment showed a mean improvement from 51.5 to 41.6. (p = 0,046). One year later the corresponding result was 41.3, indicating a persisting improvement. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that hypnosis treatment may have a positive effect on pain and quality of life for patients with chronic muscular pain. Considering the limited number of patients, more studies should be conducted to confirm the results. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov and released 27.08.07 Reg nr NCT00521807 Approval Number: 05032001.

Substance abuse in pregnant women. Experiences from a special child welfare clinic in Norway.

BACKGROUND: Substance abuse during pregnancy may harm the foetus and can cause neonatal abstinence syndrome. Exposure to alcohol and other substances can influence the child for the rest of its life. A special child welfare clinic was set up in 1994 in Kristiansand, Norway, targeting pregnant women with substance abuse problems in the county of Vest-Agder. Pregnancy is not an indication for opioid replacement therapy in Norway, and one of the clinic's aims was to support the drug dependent women through their pregnancy without any replacements. The object of this paper is to describe concurrent health and social problems, as well as the predictors for stopping drug abuse, in the clinic's user group. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study. Data was gathered from the medical records of all 102 women seen in the clinic in the period between 1992 and 2002. The study includes 59 out of 60 women that were followed until their children were two years old or placed in alternative care, and a comparison group of twice the size. Both groups were presented with a questionnaire concerning both the pregnancy and health and socio-economic issues. RESULTS: Four (4.5 percent) of the women that completed their pregnancies did not manage to reduce their substance abuse. All the others reduced their substance abuse considerably. The odds ratio for stopping substance abuse within the first trimester was significantly associated with stopping smoking (O.R. 9.7) or being victims of rape (O.R. 5.3). CONCLUSION: A low cost and low threshold initiative organised as a child welfare clinic may support women with substance abuse problems in their efforts to stop or reduce their substance abuse during pregnancy.

[Self-reported medical drug use among 15-16 year-old adolescents in Norway]. / Selvrapportert legemiddelbruk hos 15-16-åringer i Norge.

BACKGROUND: Little information is available about Norwegian adolescents' use of medical drugs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Self-reported drug use was recorded by means of a self-administered questionnaire handed out in classrooms to all 10th grade students in four counties. In all, 5846 boys and 5862 girls participated during the years 2000-2002. RESULTS: Forty-one percent of boys and 64% of girls had used drugs during the last four weeks. Non-prescription analgesics had been used by 25% of the boys and by more than half of the girls. Daily use of prescription analgesics was reported by approximately 1% in both sexes, while more girls than boys had used these drugs during the last four weeks. In all, 15% of the boys and 16% of the girls reported use of allergy medicines during the last four weeks and 6% of the boys and 7% of the girls had used asthma medicines. During the same period, 1.4% of the boys and 1.8% of the girls had used hypnotics. Anxiolytics had been used by 1.9%, while 0.8% reported use of antidepressants. INTERPRETATION: Drug use is common among adolescents in Norway. Except for analgesics, there were only minor sex differences in drug use. The proportion of drug users did not vary significantly between counties.