Patterns of Prescription and Nonprescription Drug Use in a Southern Rural Area

Data for analysis of drug use patterns of blacks and whites in a rural area were obtained from the Rougemont/Bahama North Carolina Panel Study performed in 1974-75. A major objective of the panel study was to monitor the use of health services, type and purpose of medical visit, usual source of medical care, medications used, cost of services, multiple sources of care, and hospitalization. Household interviews included questions on the use of prescription and nonprescription drugs during four 1-week periods in 1974-75 by each household member. The questions were focused on 10 drug categories: analgesics, medicines for coughs and colds, digestive disorders, skin and muscular conditions, hypertension, and allergies, vitamins, tranquilizers, contraceptives, and other. Information was also obtained on quarterly family expenditures for drugs. The data were analyzed for blacks and whites separately by category and type of drug (prescribed or nonprescribed) and cross-tabulated by selected demographic characteristics. The results indicated that blacks in Rougemont/Bahama used fewer prescription drugs than whites. This difference was attributed to the low use of medical care services by the black population. There was no significant difference between the races in the use of nonprescription drugs; however, use of these drugs was greater than reported in other studies--possibly because of the unavailability of or lack of information on, or both, health care services for these rural residents. The predominant users of three types of prescription drugs--analgesics, hypotensives, and tranquilizers--were older, less educated, and low-income white women. The annual drug expenditure for white families was almost twice that of black families.