Prescription drug use among US adults increased by 8% between 1999 and 2012, with polypharmacy doubling.
The prevalence of prescription drug use and the number of medications taken by individuals have significantly increased over a 14-year period, indicating a growing reliance on pharmaceutical interventions for health management.
JAMA · 2015
Key Findings
- 01Overall prescription drug use increased from 51% to 59% of US adults between 1999-2000 and 2011-2012.
- 02The prevalence of polypharmacy (use of 5 or more prescription drugs) increased from 8.2% to 15% during the same period.
- 03Use of specific drug classes, including antihyperlipidemic agents, antidepressants, proton-pump inhibitors, and muscle relaxants, also increased.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers must create solutions that simplify the management of multiple medications and support users in navigating complex health regimens.
How to apply
When designing health apps or devices, consider features that help users track multiple medications, set reminders, and potentially flag interactions or side effects based on user input.
Project actions
- 01Consider how your design can help users manage multiple health conditions or medications.
- 02Investigate user needs related to medication adherence and understanding.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Nationally representative sample.
- +Longitudinal data over a significant period.
Limitations
Self-reported data can be inaccurate. The study doesn't explain *why* drug use increased.
Reliability & validity
The use of a large, nationally representative survey (NHANES) with weighted analyses enhances the reliability and generalizability of the findings. However, reliance on self-reported drug use introduces potential validity concerns due to recall bias.
Think critically
What are the potential ethical considerations for designers when creating tools that manage or influence prescription drug use?
Design Principles
"Design for complexity: anticipate and accommodate users managing multiple, interconnected needs."
Understanding the trends in prescription drug use is crucial for designing healthcare systems, patient support programs, and even product interfaces that accommodate the needs of a population increasingly managing multiple health conditions with various medications. This insight highlights a growing complexity in user health profiles that designers must consider.
What This Means for Your Design
More and more adults in the US are taking prescription drugs, and many are taking a lot of them. This means designers need to think about how to make it easier for people to manage all their medicines.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study to justify the need for a design that addresses medication management complexity.
- 2.Use the findings to inform user personas and their specific needs.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
(2015). Trends in Prescription Drug Use Among Adults in the United States From 1999-2012. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2015.13766 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/638d7209-77be-43cb-b5dd-f2786d52093f/prescription-drug-use-among-us-adults-increased-by-8-between-1999-and-2012-with-polypharmacy-doubling
Paragraph starter
Research indicates a significant increase in prescription drug use and polypharmacy among US adults from 1999 to 2012. This trend highlights the growing need for design solutions that can effectively support individuals managing multiple medications and complex health regimens, influencing the design of health-related technologies and services.
Source
JAMA
Trends in Prescription Drug Use Among Adults in the United States From 1999-2012
journal · 2015
View sourceQuestions about this research
- What does the research say about prescription drug use among us adults increased by 8% between 1999 and 2012, with polypharmacy doubling?
- Designers must create solutions that simplify the management of multiple medications and support users in navigating complex health regimens. Evidence: JAMA (2015).
- Why does "Prescription drug use among US adults increased by 8% between 1999 and 2012, with polypharmacy doubling." matter for design?
- Understanding the trends in prescription drug use is crucial for designing healthcare systems, patient support programs, and even product interfaces that accommodate the needs of a population increasingly managing multiple health conditions with various medications. This insight highlights a growing complexity in user health profiles that designers must consider.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers must create solutions that simplify the management of multiple medications and support users in navigating complex health regimens.
- What were the main findings?
- Overall prescription drug use increased from 51% to 59% of US adults between 1999-2000 and 2011-2012.. The prevalence of polypharmacy (use of 5 or more prescription drugs) increased from 8.2% to 15% during the same period.. Use of specific drug classes, including antihyperlipidemic agents, antidepressants, proton-pump inhibitors, and muscle relaxants, also increased.
- What research method was used?
- Observational study using secondary data analysis with 37,959 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2015 journal from JAMA.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing health apps or devices, consider features that help users track multiple medications, set reminders, and potentially flag interactions or side effects based on user input.
- What are the limitations?
- The study relies on self-reported data, which may be subject to recall bias. It does not explore the reasons behind the increased drug use.
- Is there evidence that prescription drug affects design outcomes?
- More than half of US adults were using prescription drugs by 2011-2012, and the proportion taking five or more medications nearly doubled between 1999 and 2012. Understanding the trends in prescription drug use is crucial for designing healthcare systems, patient support programs, and even product interfaces that accom Source: JAMA (2015).
- Where does this drug adults research apply?
- Healthcare and public health in the United States It sits within human factors research on designdex.org.
Related research topics
prescription drug design research · evidence on prescription drug · does prescription drug improve design outcomes · drug adults studies for designers · prescription drug and drug adults findings · human factors research evidence