Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35677101›Full record

Observational studyInternational journal of population data science2020

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on community medication dispensing: a national cohort analysis in Wales, UK.

Fatemeh Torabi, Ashley Akbari, Stuart Bedston, Gareth Davies, Hoda Abbasizanjani, Mike Gravenor, Rowena Griffiths, Daniel Harris, Neil Jenkins, Jane Lyons and 4 more

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in International journal of population data science, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on community prescription of opioid and antineuropathic analgesics for cancer patients in Wales, UK.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2023
    Observational
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Fatemeh TorabiPopulation Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University.
Ashley AkbariPopulation Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University.
Stuart BedstonPopulation Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University.
Gareth DaviesPopulation Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University.
Hoda AbbasizanjaniPopulation Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University.
Mike GravenorSwansea University.
Rowena GriffithsPopulation Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University.
Daniel HarrisPopulation Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University.
Neil JenkinsNHS Wales Shared Services Partnership.
Jane LyonsPopulation Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University.
Andrew MorrisSwansea University.
Laura NorthPopulation Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University.
Julian HalcoxPopulation Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University.
Ronan A LyonsPopulation Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University.

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/V028367/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Population-level information on dispensed medication provides insight on the distribution of treated morbidities, particularly if linked to other population-scale data at an individual-level. Objective: To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on dispensing patterns of medications. Methods: Retrospective observational study using population-scale, individual-level dispensing records in Wales, UK. Total dispensed drug items for the population between 1 Result: Amongst all BNF chapters, 73,410,543 items were dispensed in 2020 compared to 74,121,180 items in 2019 demonstrating -0.96% relative decrease in 2020. Comparison of monthly patterns showed average difference (D) of -59,220 and average Relative Change (RC) of -0.74% between the number of dispensed items in 2020 and 2019. Maximum RC was observed in March 2020 (D = +1,224,909 and RC = +20.62), followed by second peak in June 2020 (D = +257,920, RC = +4.50%). A third peak was observed in September 2020 (D = +264,138, RC = +4.35%). Large increases in March 2020 were observed for CVD and CNS medications across all age groups. The Immunological and Vaccine products dropped to very low levels across all age groups and all months (including the March dispensing peak). Conclusions: Reconfiguration of routine clinical services during COVID-19 led to substantial changes in community pharmacy drug dispensing. This change may contribute to a long-term burden of COVID-19, raising the importance of a comprehensive and timely monitoring of changes for evaluation of the potential impact on clinical care and outcomes.

Indexed as

community dispensingCOVID-19dispensed medicationinteractive dispensing dashboardpublic health

Identifiers

PMID35677101
PMCPMC9135049

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.