(109) Use of Analgesics in Denmark: A National Survey

Publication Number: 783

Background: Research in the community pharmacy setting provides access to information directly from the end-user of medication that are not available in health registries, such as use patterns, indications, and adverse effects.

Objectives: We explored user-reported use patterns, indications, and adverse effects of analgesics in a Danish community pharmacy survey.

Methods: We conducted a survey in eight community pharmacies across Denmark. Pharmacy staff invited persons aged ≥18 years redeeming prescriptions for analgesics or requesting analgesics over the counter (OTC) to participate in the study. The survey included questions about type of analgesics, on-label and self-reported indications and dosage, and self-reported adverse effects when using analgesics. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics.

Results: A total of 2,410 participants completed the survey; 68% were female and 50% were above 60 years old. Most participants (61%) filled a prescription for paracetamol followed by non-steroidal analgesics (NSAIDs; 23%). Overall, 73% had an analgesic prescribed for daily use, while 61% reported daily use of their medication, and 35% of all participants reported using analgesics “as needed”. Among participants using OTC analgesics, 17% reported using their medication daily. The majority of all prescriptions (80%) was labelled with the standardized indication “against pain”, while self-reported indications were most commonly back pain (31%) and muscle/joint pain (18%). The most common self-reported indications among participants using OTC analgesics were headache and muscle/joint pain with 38% and 19%, respectively. Finally, we found that 90% of all participants reported not experiencing adverse effects when using analgesics.

Conclusions: A considerable proportion of participants used analgesics differently than prescribed, while almost one-fifth of participants requesting OTC analgesics used their medication daily. The majority of all prescriptions for analgesics have the standardized phrase “against pain” on the drug label rather than a specific indication. Our findings suggest a need for continuous assessment of analgesic treatment after initiation and can inform counselling on use of analgesics.