The prescribing of Chinese herbal products in Taiwan: a cross-sectional analysis of the national health insurance reimbursement database
Resource
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety v.17 n.6 pp.609-619
Journal
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
Pages
609-619
Date Issued
2008
Date
2008
Author(s)
Hsieh, Shu-Ching
Lai, Jung-Nien
Lee, Chuan-Fang
Hu, Fu-Chang
Tseng, Wei-Lum
Wang, Jung-Der
Abstract
Purpose The consumption of Chinese herbal products (CHPs) is increasing exponentially. However, the scientific evidence is lacking and there is an urgent requirement for detailed pharmacoepidemiological information on CHP usage. This study was to investigate CHP prescription patterns in Taiwan. Methods We carried out a cross-sectional analysis on a cohort of 200 000 patients based on 2004 data from the National Health Insurance ( NHI) reimbursement database. Data mining techniques were applied to explore CHP co- prescription patterns. Results A total of 46938 patients had been prescribed CHPs on at least one occasion in 2004. Patients using CHPs were generally female and middle-aged, made more outpatient visits, had fewer hospitalizations and consumed more medical resources than non- users of CHPs. A total of 1073 030 CHPs were contained within 220 123 prescriptions, for which acute nasopharyngitis was the most common indication. Yan hu suo and Jia Wei Xiao Yao San were the most frequently prescribed single herb (SH) and herbal formula (HF), respectively. The results of the data mining showed that the best predictions were provided by co- prescriptions of 'Mo yao and Ru xiang', 'Ye jiao teng and Suan Zao Ren Tan' and 'Dang Gui Nian Tong Tang and Shu Jing Huo Xue Tang' in the groups of SH-SH, SH-HF and HF-HF, respectively. Conclusions This study provides national-level CHP prescription profiles and utilization rates, and documents, for the first time, HF-HF prescription combinations in Chinese medicine (CM) practices in Taiwan. We conclude that more studies are needed to validate the safety and effectiveness of CHP prescriptions.
Subjects
prescription patterns
Chinese herbal products
cross- sectional data analysis
data mining
SDGs
Other Subjects
Angelica extract; ban xia xie xin tang; Carthamus extract; Chinese drug; chuan qiong cha diao san; Cyperi extract; dang gui nian tong tang; du huo ji shen tang; Fritillariae extract; Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract; herbaceous agent; Houttuynia cordata extract; isatis extract; jia wei xiao yao san; ma xing gan shi tang; Myrrha extract; ping wei san; plant medicinal product; Platycodon grandiflorum extract; premaelle; Pueraria extract; Salvia miltiorrhiza extract; Scutellariae radix; shao yao gan cao tang; shin yi ching fey tang; shu jing huo xue tang; suan zao ren tang; unindexed drug; yan hu suo; ye jiao teng; yin qiao san; adolescent; adult; aged; allergic rhinitis; article; backache; Chinese medicine; cohort analysis; controlled study; cross-sectional study; data base; drug efficacy; drug formulation; drug safety; drug utilization; female; hospitalization; human; major clinical study; male; menstruation disorder; national health insurance; outpatient; prescription; priority journal; reimbursement; respiratory tract disease; rhinopharyngitis; sleep disorder; Taiwan; age; child; clinical practice; drug combination; factual database; middle aged; pharmacoepidemiology; sex difference; statistics; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Databases, Factual; Drug Therapy, Combination; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pharmacoepidemiology; Physician's Practice Patterns; Sex Factors; Taiwan
Type
journal article