title: [Epidemiology of drug use and abuse. Physician's role].
abstract: Drug use in a given population, whether justified by a medical prescription or not, is a subject that is often emotionally rather than objectively discussed. In this study, objective data from the Austrian population are collected in order to provide a more comprehensible view of that complex phenomenon: drug use, abuse or addition seem to relate to various factors such as gender, age, profession and local differences. Physician's role in drug use in more or less important, depending on the nature of the substance. Indeed, tranquillizers and hypnotics are medically prescribed drugs although laxatives, geriatric and homeopathic medicines are rarely prescribed by a physician. However, these factors could account for only a part of this subject and other research should focus on the relations between physician, patient and the drug.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatrische Universitatsklinik, Währinger Gürtel, Wien.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Lesch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Musalek
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Passweg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hajji
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D003710:Demography; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D012651:Self Medication; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*
vernacular_title: Epidémiologie de l'usage et de l'abus médicamenteux. Rôle du médecin.