Use of six main drug therapeutic groups across educational groups: self-reported survey and prescription records

Summary Objectives: To assess whether the use of six main therapeutic groups was congruent with the occurrence of related diseases across educational groups. Methods: Two data sources were analysed: (i) Interview data from The Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 2000 on a representative sample of the Danish population ages 16 years and above (n = 16 690); (ii) Prescription records linked to a health survey on a representative sample of the population of Funen County 2000–2001 (n = 3 422). The use of six therapeutic main groups (ATC groups A, B, C, M, N and R) and related diseases in educational groups was analysed by indirect standardization. Age and gender standardized prevalence ratios (SPRs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated on the basis of the total study population. Results: In general, respondents in the two least educated groups used medicines more frequently and a higher proportion of them reported the related disease than could be expected from indirect standardization. The opposite picture appeared for respondents in the two highest educational groups (SPR