title: Pharmacoepidemiological Data from Drug Dispensing Charities as a Measure of Health Patterns in a Population not Assisted by the Italian National Health Service.
abstract: We analysed drug dispensation by charitable organisations in a year time. Drugs were grouped according to the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical classification and the amount dispensed was calculated with the system of the Daily Defined Dose (DDD) and expressed as DDD/1000 subjects/day. A number of 87,550 subjects were studied (13,308 Italians; 74,242 Immigrants). Though we noticed a great sesonal variability, the drugs most frequently dispensed were those for the respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal system and antibiotics, which is different from the rest of the Italian population and the immigrant population assisted by our National Health Service (NHS). We also found that chronic diseases are increasing in these subjects. We conclude that the subjects not receiving NHS assitance have, at least in part, different health patterns and requirements. This should be considered when planning tailored interventions.
authors.affiliation: Departmet of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milano.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bini
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca , Italy.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cerri
authors.affiliation: Departmet of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milano.
authors.forename: Antonello E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Rigamonti
authors.affiliation: Departmet of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milano.
authors.forename: Pietro A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bertazzi
authors.affiliation: Departmet of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milano.
authors.forename: Gianfrancesco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fiorini
authors.affiliation: Departmet of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milano.
authors.forename: Silvano G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Cella
keywords: Drug dispensation; Health needs; Immigrants; Pharmacoepidemiology