Self-prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine-year follow-up study of a nationwide sample.
BACKGROUND
Self-prescribing among doctors is common, but no longitudinal studies have documented this issue. We studied the self-prescribing behaviour among young Norwegian physicians and the predictors of self-prescribing.


METHODS
We conducted a nationwide, prospective and longitudinal study following young Norwegian physicians from internship through the subsequent nine years using three postal questionnaires. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models were applied.


RESULTS
About 54% of the physicians in their fourth and ninth postgraduate years had self-prescribed medication at least once during the previous year. Among those who had used prescription medication during the previous year, about 90% had self-prescribed. Self-prescribing behaviour did not differ significantly between men and women, or according to the type of work at any time. The most frequently self-prescribed medications were antibiotics (71%-81%), contraceptives (24%-25%), analgesics (18%-21%), and hypnotics (9%-12%). Those who had needed treatment for mental problems had self-prescribed hypnotics and sedatives to a greater extent than the others. Being male, having self-prescribed during internship, somatic complaints, mental distress, subjective health complaints, and not having sought help from a general practitioner, were significant adjusted predictors of self-prescribing in the ninth postgraduate year.


CONCLUSIONS
The level of self-prescribing among young Norwegian physicians is relatively high, and this behaviour is established early in their professional lives. Although self-prescribing is acceptable in some situations, physicians should seek professional help for illness. Efforts to inculcate more rational help-seeking behaviour should probably start in medical schools.
Hem
Erlend
E
Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1111 Blindern, NO-0317 Oslo, Norway. erlend.hem@medisin.uio.no
Stokke
Guro
G
Tyssen
Reidar
R
Grønvold
Nina T
NT
Vaglum
Per
P
Ekeberg
Øivind
Ø
D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003270:Contraceptive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D009664:Norway; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000700:Analgesics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003270:Contraceptive Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs