@article{ref1,
title="Over-the-counter codeine use in Iceland: the impact of increased access",
journal="Scandinavian journal of public health",
year="2000",
author="Almarsdóttir, Anna Birna and Grimsson, A.",
volume="28",
number="4",
pages="270-274",
abstract="BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to test the assumption that liberalizing community pharmacy ownership in Iceland would lead to increased irrational use of over-the-counter pain relievers containing codeine. METHODS: Based on this assumption we built and tested a model using an interrupted time series design that contrasts the monthly sales data for over-the-counter pain relievers containing codeine before and after the legislation took effect. RESULTS: The total use of over-the-counter pain relievers containing codeine as well as those containing paracetamol and codeine has risen steadily throughout the period under study. The interrupted time series did not show a substantial effect from the legislative change on the use of all over-the-counter codeine pain relievers, paracetemol with codeine, and aspirin with codeine combinations. CONCLUSION: The assumption that increased access leads to irrational use of over-the-counter medicines is not substantiated in the case of over-the-counter pain relievers containing codeine.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1403-4948",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}