The multipurpose survey by Istat, presented on March 2, goes very deep into a central aspect of the health system: the use of medicines. Many data collected from the sample of 60,000 families, referring to the year 2005, starting with consumption. In the two weeks prior to the researchers' interview, 45.2% of the resident population in Italy, equal to over 26 million people, took medicines. One third of the population (32.9%) must use drugs prescribed by a doctor regularly throughout the year, 15.1% took drugs only in the 2 weeks preceding the interview but must not do so regularly. The overall share tends to increase with age, going from 22.4% among children aged 0-14 to 89.5% among those over 80. The tendency of women to consume more drugs than men (50.7% against 39.5%), already observed in 1999-2000, is also confirmed. Umbria and Emilia-Romagna are the regions with the highest share of people who consume medicines (50.9%, 50.3% and 48.7% respectively), while in Campania, in the province of Bolzano, in Basilicata and in Puglia has the lowest percentages (39.2%, 39.2%, 39.9% and 40.3%). A historical trend therefore seems to have been forgotten which saw the South in the lead in terms of consumption, according to many as a replacement for a certain lack of other services (hospital, diagnostics, etc.).
The majority (82.9%) took drugs on doctor's prescription, 16.7% on their own initiative, 3% on the initiative of parents or indications from another person. Therefore, a limited role of self-medication is confirmed compared to other European countries. Elderly people most frequently report having taken medicines prescribed by a doctor (97.5% for people aged 65 and over), while they have the lowest share of those who take medicines on their own initiative (3.4%) who reach their highest among people aged 25-34 (41.3%).
The majority (82.9%) took drugs on doctor's prescription, 16.7% on their own initiative, 3% on the initiative of parents or indications from another person. Therefore, a limited role of self-medication is confirmed compared to other European countries. Elderly people most frequently report having taken medicines prescribed by a doctor (97.5% for people aged 65 and over), while they have the lowest share of those who take medicines on their own initiative (3.4%) who reach their highest among people aged 25-34 (41.3%).
Overall, out of 100 people who took medications in the 2 weeks preceding the interview, more than half (51.2%) are elderly or disabled or chronically ill or report poor health. 27.2% of people use drugs every day, with higher percentages for women (30.5%). The daily consumption of drugs increases strongly with age, going from a minimum of 3.6% among children up to 14 years of age to a maximum of 81.2% among those over 80. The percentage of daily use instead decreases with the increase in the level of education among people aged 45-64. The value ranges from 45.2% among people with the lowest educational qualifications to 32.2% among the best educated. A figure, this which coincides with another finding the correlation between the worst socio-economic status (and therefore the level of education) and the severity of the disorders.
From a territorial point of view, controlling the phenomenon by age, the percentage of daily consumers is higher in the North-East (about 29%) than in the South (25%). The regions with the highest standardized rate of daily drug intake are Umbria, Veneto and Sardinia (over 29%), those with the lowest standardized rate are the province of Bolzano, Puglia and Campania (all below 25%). Approximately 60% of people who take medications daily use up to two types, while a quarter of them take four or more different types, with the percentage rising to 40% among those over 80. As many as 75.9% of daily drug users are disabled or chronically ill or report poor health. Among people who report being in bad or very bad health, the daily drug consumption rises to 85.9%, over triple the average. This percentage also increases with
