2015 Study Abstract
Objective
To evaluate trends in prescription drug use among adults living in the United States.
Design, Setting, and Participants
Temporal trends in prescription drug use were evaluated using nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Participants included 37 959 noninstitutionalized US adults, aged 20 years and older. Seven NHANES cycles were included (1999-2000 to 2011-2012), and the sample size per cycle ranged from 4861 to 6212.
Exposures
Calendar year, as represented by continuous NHANES cycle.
Main Outcomes and Measures
Within each NHANES cycle, use of prescription drugs in the prior 30 days was assessed overall and by drug class. Temporal trends across cycles were evaluated. Analyses were weighted to represent the US adult population.
Results
Results indicate an increase in overall use of prescription drugs among US adults between 1999-2000 and 2011-2012 with an estimated 51% of US adults reporting use of any prescription drugs in 1999-2000 and an estimated 59% reporting use of any prescription drugs in 2011-2012 (difference, 8% [95% CI, 3.8%-12%]; P for trend <.001). The prevalence of polypharmacy (use of ≥5 prescription drugs) increased from an estimated 8.2% in 1999-2000 to 15% in 2011-2012 (difference, 6.6% [95% CI, 4.4%-8.2%]; P for trend <.001). These trends remained statistically significant with age adjustment. Among the 18 drug classes used by more than 2.5% of the population at any point over the study period, the prevalence of use increased in 11 drug classes including antihyperlipidemic agents, antidepressants, prescription proton-pump inhibitors, and muscle relaxants.
Conclusions and Relevance
In this nationally representative survey, significant increases in overall prescription drug use and polypharmacy were observed. These increases persisted after accounting for changes in the age distribution of the population. The prevalence of prescription drug use increased in the majority of, but not all, drug classes.
Sources and more information
- Hooked on Pharmaceuticals: Prescription Drug Abuse in America,
drugwatch, July 29th, 2015. - Trends in Prescription Drug Use Among Adults in the United States From 1999-2012, JAMA. 2015;314(17):1818-1830. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.13766, November 3, 2015.
- Rx for America: Nearly 6 in 10 adults take prescription drugs, study says,
latimes, November 3, 2015. - 46,471: Drug Overdoses Killed More Americans Than Car Crashes or Guns,
cnsnews, November 5, 2015. - Big Pharma pills and heroin responsible for more than half of drug overdoses,
medicine.news, November 6th, 2015. - DEA Announces “360 Strategy” to Address Heroin, Prescription Drugs and Violent Crime, dea, November 10, 2015.