INDICATORS

74. MEDICINE USE, SELECTED GROUPS
Definition:
1) Percent of population who have used medication (defined medicine groups) prescribed by
a physician during the past 2 weeks.
2) Amount of medicine use, per day per 1000 population, for defined medicine groups.
Calculation:
1) Percent of population who have used medication (defined medicine groups) prescribed
by a physician during the past 2 weeks, measured by the EHIS instrument derived from
EHIS questions MD.1–2. MD.1: during the past two weeks, have you used any medicines
(including dietary supplements such as herbal medicines or vitamins) that were prescribed or
recommended for you by a doctor – (for women, please also state: include also contraceptive
pills or other hormones)? (yes / no). MD.2: Were they medicines for…? (15 medicine
groups, i.e. for Asthma / Chronic bronchitis, chronic pulmonary disease, emphysema / High
blood pressure / Lowering the blood cholesterol level / Other cardiovascular disease, such as
stroke and heart attack / pain in the joints (arthrosis, arthritis) / Pain in the neck or back /
Migraine / Other pain / Diabetes / Allergic symptoms (eczema, rhinitis, hay fever) / Stomach
troubles / Cancer (chemotherapy) / Depression / Tension or anxiety) . Precise medicine
groups to be included are to be decided later.
2) OECD / EURO-MED-STAT -project: OECD / EURO-MED-STAT -project:
Pharmaceutical consumption per 1000 population, in Daily Defined Doses (DDDs) per
day, by selected Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) groups. Calculation is based on the
volume of sales to pharmacies and hospitals by wholesalers. DDD is defined as the assumed
average maintenance dose per day for a drug used on its main indication in adults. The
MINDFUL project specifically recommends to include antipsychotics (ATC class NO5A),
anxiolytics (NO5B), hypnotics (NO5C) and antidepressants (NO6A). Precise ATC medicine
groups to be included are to be decided later.
Notes: The ATC system divides drugs into different groups according to the organ system on
which they act and/or therapeutical, pharmacological and chemical characteristics. (created
by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology). The sale and actual
use of drugs are not always the same figure.
75. PATIENT MOBILITY
Definition: The number and proportion of patients seeking care in other than their
(permanent) resident country.
Calculation: Indicator and standardised data collection to be developed.
The number of persons seeking care across national borders, as being a (permanent) resident
in a specific country. By country and by (neighbouring) country-country combination(s).
Both absolute numbers and in relation to the total number of people seeking care.
Notes: Meets the increasingly important EU-health policy issue of cross-border care. Can be
stratified also for example by types of care (outpatient, inpatient, GP, specialist); private basis
or via their public health care system. It is part of the regular (Eurostat) data collection from
2008 but not many countries can deliver these data yet.
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