title: Overprescribing in China, driven by financial incentives, results in very high use of antibiotics, injections, and corticosteroids.
abstract: In appropriate prescribing is a global problem. It is especially salient in China, where drug sales constitute a major portion of health care providers' incomes, price distortions are rampant, and oversight is lax. However, few data exist on the prevalence of inappropriate prescribing in China. This study, the first of its kind in China, examined 230,800 prescriptions written between 2007 and 2009 by 784 community health institutions in 28 cities across China. The data show substantial overprescribing, including twice as many prescriptions for antibiotics as recommended by the World Health Organization and rates of injection that are three times higher than in similar countries. These findings point to the need to integrate rational prescribing into China's ongoing health care reform.
authors.affiliation: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. liyongbin2002@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yongbin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Liqun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wanli
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Yeqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zuxun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002681:China; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000639:trends*; D007267:Injections / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012052:Reimbursement, Incentive
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents