48354 20200221144346.0 doi 10.1186/s12939-016-0317-9 sideral 94032 ART-2016-94032 eng (orcid)0000-0003-2928-6623 Gimeno-Feliu, L. Universidad de Zaragoza Patterns of pharmaceutical use for immigrants to Spain and Norway: A comparative study of prescription databases in two European countries 2016 Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted Background: Although equity in health care is theoretically a cornerstone in Western societies, several studies show that services do not always provide equitable care for immigrants. Differences in pharmaceutical consumption between immigrants and natives are explained by variances in predisposing factors, enabling factors and needs across populations, and can be used as a proxy of disparities in health care use. By comparing the relative differences in pharmacological use between natives and immigrants from the same four countries of origin living in Spain and Norway respectively, this article presents a new approach to the study of inequity in health care. Methods: All purchased drug prescriptions classified according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) system in Aragon (Spain) and Norway for a total of 5 million natives and nearly 100,000 immigrants for one calendar year were included in this cross-sectional study. Age and gender adjusted relative purchase rates for immigrants from Poland, China, Colombia and Morocco compared to native populations in each of the host countries were calculated. Direct standardisation was performed based on the 2009 population structure of the OECD countries. Results: Overall, a significantly lower proportion of immigrants in Aragon (Spain) and Norway purchased pharmacological drugs compared to natives. Patterns of use across the different immigrant groups were consistent in both host countries, despite potential disparities between the Spanish and Norwegian health care systems. Immigrants from Morocco showed the highest drug use rates in relation to natives, especially for antidepressants, "pain killers" and drugs for peptic ulcer. Immigrants from China and Poland showed the lowest use rates, while Colombians where more similar to host countries. Conclusions: The similarities found between the two European countries in relation to immigrants'' pharmaceutical use disregarding their host country emphasises the need to consider specific immigrant-related features when planning and providing healthcare services to this part of the population. These results somehow remove the focus on inequity as the main reason to explain differences in purchase between immigrants and natives. info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/ 1.738 2016 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 70 / 157 = 0.446 2016 Q2 T2 1.151 2016 Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health 2016 Q1 Health Policy 2016 Q1 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion (orcid)0000-0001-9064-9222 Calderón-Larrañaga, A. (orcid)0000-0002-5704-6056 Prados-Torres, A. Universidad de Zaragoza Revilla-López, C. Diaz, E. 1007 610 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Medicina, Psiqu. y Derm. Area Medicina 1008 615 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Microb.Med.Pr.,Sal.Públ. Área Medic.Prevent.Salud Públ. 15, 1 (2016), [11 p.] INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR EQUITY IN HEALTH INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR EQUITY IN HEALTH 1475-9276 1526967 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/48354/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada 90601 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/48354/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada oai:zaguan.unizar.es:48354 articulos driver 2020-02-21-13:52:58 ARTICLE