Medications dispensed by medication group
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Data in this section are reported for the top 10 ATC3 groups (pharmacological subgroup) dispensed to humanitarian entrants, based on the number of prescriptions dispensed. The description of these drug groupings and rates of dispensing in humanitarian entrants are shown Table 3.1.
| Medication group | Main use of the medication | Rate (Prescriptions dispensed per 1,000 people in 2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Lipid modifying agents, plain | Treat cholesterol abnormalities, for example, statins | 917 |
| Blood glucose lowering drugs, excl. insulins | Treat type 2 diabetes, for example, metformin | 736 |
| Drugs for peptic ulcer and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) | Treat stomach ulcers and reflux, for example, Nexium | 638 |
| Antidepressants | Treat mental illness | 522 |
| Angiotensin II receptor Blockers (ARBS), combinations | Treat high blood pressure and heart failure, combined with other drugs, for example, calcium channel blockers | 324 |
| Beta-lactam antibacterials, penicillins | Antibiotics, for example, amoxicillin | 319 |
| Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBS), plain | Treat high blood pressure and heart failure, for example, candesartan (Atacand) | 313 |
| Anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic products – non steroids | Treat pain and inflammation, for example, NSAIDs such as naproxen and celebrex | 287 |
| Beta blocking agents | Treat high blood pressure, for example, propranolol | 267 |
| Opioids | To treat pain, for example, oxycodone | 252 |
Notes: Rate is PBS subsidised prescriptions dispensed in 2021 per 1,000 humanitarian entrants.
Source: AIHW analysis of PLIDA, 2021.
Medication prescriptions dispensed by population group
When age-standardised rates of prescriptions for the ATC3 groups were compared across population groups in 2021 (Figure 3.1):
- Lipid modifying agents, plain, were dispensed to humanitarian entrants at 1.8 times (1,300 prescriptions per 1,000 people) the rate they were dispensed to other permanent migrants (730 per 1,000 people) and 1.6 times the rest of the Australian population (840 per 1,000 people).
- Antidepressants were much less commonly dispensed to humanitarian entrants (570 prescriptions per 1,000 people) than the rest of the Australian population (1,100 per 1,000 people), and slightly more than other permanent migrants (430 per 1,000 people).
- Rates of dispensing of blood glucose lowering drugs were more than 2.4 times higher for humanitarian entrants (1,000 prescriptions per 1,000 people) than rates in both other permanent migrants (430 per 1,000 people) and the rest of the Australian population (430 per 1,000 people).
- Drug groups that are used for treatment of blood pressure and heart conditions (Angiotensin II receptor Blockers (ARBS), combinations and plain, and Beta blocking agents) were dispensed at a higher rate for humanitarian entrants (480 prescriptions per 1,000 people, 450 per 1,000 people and 420 per 1,000 people respectively) compared with other permanent migrants (240 prescriptions per 1,000 people, 330 per 1,000 people and 170 per 1,000 people respectively) and the rest of the Australian population (280 prescriptions per 1,000 people, 370 per 1,000 people and 240 per 1,000 people respectively).
The following data visualisation (Figure 3.1) provides a bar chart and data table, which can be accessed by using the tabs (top left-hand side).
Figure 3.1: Medications dispensed for humanitarian entrants by ATC3 group, 2021
In humanitarian entrants, the rates of dispensing for lipid modifying agent, blood glucose lowering drugs and drugs for peptic ulcer and GORD were higher than the rest of the population.
The patterns of prescriptions of these drug groups by age and sex in each population group can be explored in more detail in the interactive data visualisation.
Medication prescriptions dispensed by time since arrival in Australia
Figure 3.2 presents data on the rate of medications dispensed and the proportion of the population who was dispensed a medication for humanitarian entrants who arrived less than 5 years, 5–10 years and more than 10 years ago, for the top 10 ATC medication groups.
For more information about reporting by time since arrival in Australia see Data sources and methods.
The following data visualisation (Figure 3.2) provides a bar chart and data table, which can be accessed by using the tabs (top left-hand side). Data can be filtered by either age-standardised rate of medications dispensed per 1,000 people or proportion of the population who was dispensed a medication.
Figure 3.2: Medications dispensed for humanitarian entrants by ATC3 group and time since arrival in Australia, 2021
In humanitarian entrants the rates of dispensing for lipid modifying agent were lowest in those who arrived more than 10 years ago.
Medication prescriptions dispensed by country of birth
When comparing the age-standardised rates of dispensing by medication groups in 2021 by the countries of birth for migrant groups:
- Rates of dispensing of lipid modifying drugs were lowest for humanitarian entrants born in Sudan (690 prescriptions per 1,000 people), and highest for humanitarian entrants born in Iraq (1,800 per 1,000 people) and Syria (1,800 per 1,000 people).
- Rates for dispensing blood glucose lowering drugs were 2.7 times as high for humanitarian entrants born in Bhutan compared with other permanent migrants born in Bhutan (1,100 prescriptions per 1,000 people and 405 per 1,000 people respectively). Conversely, for humanitarian entrants born in Sudan, dispensing of blood glucose lowering drugs were lower than other permanent migrants born in Sudan (780 prescriptions per 1,000 people and 1,100 per 1,000 people respectively).
Detailed data on the rates of medications dispensed, proportion of the population who were dispensed medications and population sizes by country of birth can be explored in the supplementary table S2.3.
For more information about reporting by country of birth see Data sources and methods.
References
Person-Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA), 2021, PLIDA Modular Product, ABS DataLab. Findings based on use of PLIDA data.