title: Prescription patterns for tuberculosis treatment and adherence to treatment guidelines: a population-based study in Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tuberculosis is a health threat in Taiwan. Previous research is mainly focused on patients' compliance, and research on medicines prescribed by physicians is limited. This study endeavors to present the prescription patterns of Tuberculosis treatment and its adherence to the guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Newly diagnosed Tuberculosis patients in 2008 were selected from the National Health Insurance claims database. We divided prescriptions into standard prescriptions, non-standard prescriptions, and second-line medicines on the basis of the fourth edition of Taiwan's guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Tuberculosis. We first described the distribution of these prescriptions of TB regimen in the first 2 months among the new patients. Furthermore, a graphical presentation was used to visualize physician's complex prescription behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 11,164 patients were included in this analysis; 28,291 prescriptions were prescribed during the first 2 months after diagnosis. Among these prescriptions, 53.34% were standard prescriptions, 45.81% were non-standard prescriptions, and 0.84% were second-line medicines. Prescribing medicines for 28 days at the first visit was the most common scenario. Approximately 35 patterns can be derived from the prescriptions in Taiwan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prescriptions suggested in the guideline are considered to have better therapeutic effects. However, this study revealed that approximately 55% prescriptions adhered to the regimen recommended by the guidelines. The Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety results of this study can help to explore possible reasons to the poor control of the disease.
authors: National Health Research Institutes, National Environmental Health Research Center, Miaoli County, Taiwan.
authors: Shiow-Ing
authors: SI
authors: Wang
authors: Gwan-Han
authors: GH
authors: Shen
authors: Hui-Chung
authors: HC
authors: Shi
authors: Shang-Jyh
authors: SJ
authors: Chiou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013624:Taiwan; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents
keywords: guidelines adherence; pharmacoepidemiology; prescriptions; tuberculosis