title: Analgesic Medicine Utilization in Older People in New Zealand from 2005 to 2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Older people (aged 65 years and above) consume more analgesics compared with other age groups. Because of the aging of the New Zealand population, it is important to ascertain the trends of analgesic use at a population-level.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this population-based study was to describe and characterize the utilization of analgesic medicines in older people in New Zealand from 2005 to 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  Repeated cross-sectional analysis of population-level dispensing data was conducted from 2005 to 2013. Dispensing data were obtained from Pharmaceutical Claims Data Mart (Pharms), Ministry of Health, extracted using encrypted national health index numbers as unique identifiers and categorized by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (WHOCC) Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system. Utilization of analgesics was measured in defined daily dose (DDD) per 1000 older people per day (TOPD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, analgesic medicine utilization increased by 5.44 % from 2005 to 2013. Analgesic utilization increased from 233.66 to 246.36 DDD/TOPD. The increased utilization was mainly driven by analgesics and antipyretics. An increased utilization of analgesics was seen in the 85+ age group. Females consumed more analgesics compared with males. Differences in analgesic utilization across the District Health Boards (DHBs) persisted over the 9-year period. Utilization of anti-migraines was stable over the 9-year period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This population-level utilization study showed a 5.44 % increase in utilization of analgesic medicines in older people in New Zealand from 2005 to 2013. Important findings were that (1) females utilized more analgesics compared with males; (2) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) utilization decreased over the years; and (3) the highest utilization was reported in the 85+ group. Further research is warranted to examine the drivers influencing analgesic use in New Zealand.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand. prasad.nishtala@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Prasad S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Nishtala
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sekbong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Siti Fatimah
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Binti Kamis
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Kuan-Cia
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kiu