Self-prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine-year follow-up study of a nationwide sample

• Main Authors: Vaglum Per, Grønvold Nina T, Tyssen Reidar, Stokke Guro, Hem Erlend, Ekeberg Øivind
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2005-10-01
• Series: BMC Medicine
• Online Access: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/3/16

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>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.</p>