[Impact of a pharmacotherapy bulletin at a primary health care area].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of the recommendations in the bulletin of pharmacotherapeutic information on the prescription of iron salts by the area's doctors.


METHODS
Intervention study with control group.


METHODS
Two primary care areas in Asturias.


METHODS
Intervention group: 93 doctors from area 3.


METHODS
59 doctors from area 7.


METHODS
In March 97 an informative bulletin was issued recommending the use of ferrous salts rather than ferric salts and was sent to all area 3's doctors.


RESULTS
The PFe2 indicator was calculated: defined daily dose percentage of ferrous salts out of total iron salts in three time periods: January-March '97 (t1), April-June '97 (t2) and January-March '98 (t3). In the intervention group, the PFe2 value increased progressively in the three periods. There were significant differences between t1 and t3 (mean increase: 6.0%, 95% CI: 1.9%-10.1%, p = 0.004) and between t2 and t3 (mean increase: 4.5%, 95% CI 0.8%-8.3%, p = 0.017), whereas the differences were not significant between t1 and t2 (mean increase 1.5%, 95 CI 1.3%-4.2%, p = 0.296). The respective values for the controls only showed significant differences for variation in periods t2 and t3 (mean increase: 2.0%, 95% CI 0.2%-3.8%, p = 0.017).


CONCLUSIONS
1. The bulletin issued in the area had a favourable impact. 2. This impact could only be seen in the medium term, not in the short term.
Rigueira García
A I
AI
Area 3 de Asturias, INSALUD. arigueira@gapai03.insalud.es
Gómez Castro
M J
MJ
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D004348:Drug Labeling; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004358:Drug Therapy; D007255:Information Services; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors