Coding of drugs used by respondents of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging.
BACKGROUND
The Canadian Study of Health and Aging collected verbatim data on the use of medications (drugs) and health products.


OBJECTIVE
To describe how the names of drugs and health products are coded and how they can be summarized.


METHODS
The data were entered manually into a database. After comparing three coding systems, the drugs and health products were coded using a modification of the American Hospital Formulary Code as temporary codes and the Anatomical, Therapeutic, Chemical Classification as the final codes.


CONCLUSIONS
Coding and input of verbatim drug data are time-consuming, particularly when done manually. Once the coding scheme is in place, the advances in technological aspects of data management greatly improve the process.
Walop
W
W
Population and Public Health Branch, Bureau of Infectious Diseases, Ottawa, Canada. wikke_walop@hc-sc.gc.ca
Semenchuk
M
M
D002170:Canada; D016208:Databases, Factual; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000145:classification*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations