Prices of over-the-counter drugs used by 15-year-old adolescents in Germany and their association with socioeconomic background

Salvatore Italia; Silke B. Wolfenstetter; Irene Brueske; Joachim Heinrich; Dietrich Berdel; Andrea von Berg; Irina Lehmann; Marie Standl; Christina M. Teuner

doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4923-2

Prices of over-the-counter drugs used by 15-year-old adolescents in Germany and their association with socioeconomic background

Salvatore Italia, Silke B. Wolfenstetter, Irene Brueske, Joachim Heinrich, Dietrich Berdel, Andrea von Berg, Irina Lehmann, Marie Standl, Christina M. Teuner^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Background: In Germany, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are normally reimbursed up to the age of 12 years only. The aim of this study was to analyse prices of over-the-counter drugs used by adolescents in Germany and their association with socioeconomic factors.

Methods: Based on the German GINIplus and LISAplus birth cohorts, data on drug utilization among 15-year-old adolescents (n = 4677) were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The reported drugs were subdivided into prescription drugs and OTC drugs. The drugs' prices were tracked by the pharmaceutical identification numbers.

Results: Overall, 1499 OTC drugs with clearly identifiable prices were eligible for analysis. Their mean price was (sic)9.75 (95% confidence interval: (sic)9.27-10.22). About 75% of the OTC drugs cost less than (sic)10. Higher mean prices were associated with residing in Munich ((sic)10.74; 95% confidence interval: (sic)9.97-11.52) and with higher paternal education (e.g. highest education level: (sic)10.17; 95% confidence interval: (sic)10.86). Adolescents residing in Munich (in comparison with the less wealthy region of Wesel) and adolescents with higher educated fathers were also significantly more likely to use OTC drugs costing >= (sic)10 or >= (sic)25, respectively.

Conclusions: The price of (sic)10 for non-reimbursable OTC drugs may represent a (psychological) threshold. Higher prices could discourage especially adolescents from a lower socioeconomic background from taking medically advisable but non-reimbursable OTC drugs.

Original language	English
Article number	904
Number of pages	9
Journal	BMC Public Health
Volume	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4923-2
Publication status	Published - 25 Nov 2017

Keywords

Adolescent
Drug utilization
Drug prices
Socioeconomic factors
Over-the-counter drugs
SELF-MEDICATION
BIRTH COHORT
GINIPLUS
CHILDREN
LISAPLUS

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10.1186/s12889-017-4923-2Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{b26e8c15d58a4ae79a739ca660d1820c,

title = "Prices of over-the-counter drugs used by 15-year-old adolescents in Germany and their association with socioeconomic background",

abstract = "Background: In Germany, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are normally reimbursed up to the age of 12 years only. The aim of this study was to analyse prices of over-the-counter drugs used by adolescents in Germany and their association with socioeconomic factors.Methods: Based on the German GINIplus and LISAplus birth cohorts, data on drug utilization among 15-year-old adolescents (n = 4677) were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The reported drugs were subdivided into prescription drugs and OTC drugs. The drugs' prices were tracked by the pharmaceutical identification numbers.Results: Overall, 1499 OTC drugs with clearly identifiable prices were eligible for analysis. Their mean price was (sic)9.75 (95% confidence interval: (sic)9.27-10.22). About 75% of the OTC drugs cost less than (sic)10. Higher mean prices were associated with residing in Munich ((sic)10.74; 95% confidence interval: (sic)9.97-11.52) and with higher paternal education (e.g. highest education level: (sic)10.17; 95% confidence interval: (sic)10.86). Adolescents residing in Munich (in comparison with the less wealthy region of Wesel) and adolescents with higher educated fathers were also significantly more likely to use OTC drugs costing >= (sic)10 or >= (sic)25, respectively.Conclusions: The price of (sic)10 for non-reimbursable OTC drugs may represent a (psychological) threshold. Higher prices could discourage especially adolescents from a lower socioeconomic background from taking medically advisable but non-reimbursable OTC drugs.",

keywords = "Adolescent, Drug utilization, Drug prices, Socioeconomic factors, Over-the-counter drugs, SELF-MEDICATION, BIRTH COHORT, GINIPLUS, CHILDREN, LISAPLUS",

author = "Salvatore Italia and Wolfenstetter, {Silke B.} and Irene Brueske and Joachim Heinrich and Dietrich Berdel and {von Berg}, Andrea and Irina Lehmann and Marie Standl and Teuner, {Christina M.}",

year = "2017",

month = nov,

day = "25",

doi = "10.1186/s12889-017-4923-2",

language = "English",

volume = "17",

journal = "BMC Public Health",

issn = "1471-2458",

publisher = "BioMed Central Ltd",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Prices of over-the-counter drugs used by 15-year-old adolescents in Germany and their association with socioeconomic background

AU - Italia, Salvatore

AU - Wolfenstetter, Silke B.

AU - Brueske, Irene

AU - Heinrich, Joachim

AU - Berdel, Dietrich

AU - von Berg, Andrea

AU - Lehmann, Irina

AU - Standl, Marie

AU - Teuner, Christina M.

PY - 2017/11/25

Y1 - 2017/11/25

N2 - Background: In Germany, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are normally reimbursed up to the age of 12 years only. The aim of this study was to analyse prices of over-the-counter drugs used by adolescents in Germany and their association with socioeconomic factors.Methods: Based on the German GINIplus and LISAplus birth cohorts, data on drug utilization among 15-year-old adolescents (n = 4677) were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The reported drugs were subdivided into prescription drugs and OTC drugs. The drugs' prices were tracked by the pharmaceutical identification numbers.Results: Overall, 1499 OTC drugs with clearly identifiable prices were eligible for analysis. Their mean price was (sic)9.75 (95% confidence interval: (sic)9.27-10.22). About 75% of the OTC drugs cost less than (sic)10. Higher mean prices were associated with residing in Munich ((sic)10.74; 95% confidence interval: (sic)9.97-11.52) and with higher paternal education (e.g. highest education level: (sic)10.17; 95% confidence interval: (sic)10.86). Adolescents residing in Munich (in comparison with the less wealthy region of Wesel) and adolescents with higher educated fathers were also significantly more likely to use OTC drugs costing >= (sic)10 or >= (sic)25, respectively.Conclusions: The price of (sic)10 for non-reimbursable OTC drugs may represent a (psychological) threshold. Higher prices could discourage especially adolescents from a lower socioeconomic background from taking medically advisable but non-reimbursable OTC drugs.

AB - Background: In Germany, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are normally reimbursed up to the age of 12 years only. The aim of this study was to analyse prices of over-the-counter drugs used by adolescents in Germany and their association with socioeconomic factors.Methods: Based on the German GINIplus and LISAplus birth cohorts, data on drug utilization among 15-year-old adolescents (n = 4677) were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The reported drugs were subdivided into prescription drugs and OTC drugs. The drugs' prices were tracked by the pharmaceutical identification numbers.Results: Overall, 1499 OTC drugs with clearly identifiable prices were eligible for analysis. Their mean price was (sic)9.75 (95% confidence interval: (sic)9.27-10.22). About 75% of the OTC drugs cost less than (sic)10. Higher mean prices were associated with residing in Munich ((sic)10.74; 95% confidence interval: (sic)9.97-11.52) and with higher paternal education (e.g. highest education level: (sic)10.17; 95% confidence interval: (sic)10.86). Adolescents residing in Munich (in comparison with the less wealthy region of Wesel) and adolescents with higher educated fathers were also significantly more likely to use OTC drugs costing >= (sic)10 or >= (sic)25, respectively.Conclusions: The price of (sic)10 for non-reimbursable OTC drugs may represent a (psychological) threshold. Higher prices could discourage especially adolescents from a lower socioeconomic background from taking medically advisable but non-reimbursable OTC drugs.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Drug utilization

KW - Drug prices

KW - Socioeconomic factors

KW - Over-the-counter drugs

KW - SELF-MEDICATION

KW - BIRTH COHORT

KW - GINIPLUS

KW - CHILDREN

KW - LISAPLUS

U2 - 10.1186/s12889-017-4923-2

DO - 10.1186/s12889-017-4923-2

M3 - Article

C2 - 29178855

SN - 1471-2458

VL - 17

JO - BMC Public Health

JF - BMC Public Health

M1 - 904

ER -