Term: Pharmaceutical Use / Prescription Rate

Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2013-10-30

Definition:

This is a measure of the total number of prescriptions per resident and includes any prescription medication captured in Manitoba's Drug Program Information Network (DPIN). The indicator measures the proportion of residents who had at least one prescription dispensed in a given year. This includes nearly all prescriptions dispensed from community-based pharmacies across the province (prescription drugs given to hospitalized patients and some nursing home residents in PCHs with hospital-based pharmacies are not included). Prescriptions were limited to those covered by Manitoba Health's Pharmacare Program and prescriptions for over the counter drugs were excluded; these exclusions were made in order to have a fair, common set of drugs across the province when looking at prescription use. Values are age- and sex-adjusted to the Manitoba population.

Prescription rate is the term used in Lix et al. (2016).

Related concepts 

• Health Indicators: Indicators of Health Status and Healthcare Use

Related terms 

• Access to Pharmaceutical Care
• Drug Program Information Network (DPIN)
• Pharmacare Program
• Pharmaceutical User

References 

• Fransoo R, Martens P, The Need to Know Team, Prior H, Burchill C, Koseva I, Bailly A, Allegro E. The 2013 RHA Indicators Atlas. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2013. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)

Term used in 

• Chartier M, Finlayson G, Prior H, McGowan K, Chen H, de Rocquigny J, Walld R, Gousseau M. Health and Healthcare Utilization of Francophones in Manitoba. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2012. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Fransoo R, Martens P, Burland E, The Need to Know Team, Prior H, Burchill C. Manitoba RHA Indicators Atlas 2009. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2009. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Lix L, Smith M, Pitz M, Ahmed R, Quon H, Griffith J, Turner D, Hong S, Prior H, Banerjee A, Koseva I, Kulbaba C. Cancer Data Linkage in Manitoba: Expanding the Infrastructure for Research. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2016. [Report] [Summary] (View)