Toilet Paper, Minced Meat and Diabetes Medicines

Australian Panic Buying Induced by Covid-19

Bibliographic Data

ID15500321
AuthorsTeyl Engstrom (0000-0002-1778-5006, The University of Queensland), Dolly Baliunas (0000-0001-5685-0715, The University of Queensland), Benjamin Sly (0000-0002-3980-030X, The University of Queensland), Benjamin P Sly (The University of Queensland), Anthony Russell (0000-0001-7886-8844, The University of Queensland), Peter Donovan (0000-0003-3374-0753, The University of Queensland), Peter J Donovan (Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Herston, QLD 4029, Australia), Heike K Krausse (Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital), Clair Sullivan (0000-0003-2475-9989, The University of Queensland), Clair M Sullivan (The University of Queensland), Jason D Pole (0000-0002-0413-5434, The University of Queensland, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume18
Issue13
Pages6954-6954
Publication date2021-06-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph18136954
PMID34209616
OpenAlexW3175162478
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited17

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the management of non-communicable diseases in health systems around the world. This study aimed to understand the impact of COVID-19 on diabetes medicines dispensed in Australia. Publicly available data from Australia's government subsidised medicines program (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme), detailing prescriptions by month dispensed to patients, drug item code and patient category, was obtained from January 2016 to November 2020. This study focused on medicines used in diabetes care (Anatomical Therapeutical Chemical code level 2 = A10). Number of prescriptions dispensed were plotted by month at a total level, by insulins and non-insulins, and by patient category (general, concessional). Total number of prescriptions dispensed between January and November of each year were compared. A peak in prescriptions dispensed in March 2020 was identified, an increase of 35% on March 2019, compared to average growth of 7.2% in previous years. Prescriptions dispensed subsequently fell in April and May 2020 to levels below the corresponding months in 2019. These trends were observed across insulins, non-insulins, general and concessional patient categories. The peak and subsequent dip in demand have resulted in a small unexpected overall increase for the period January to November 2020, compared to declining growth for the same months in prior years. The observed change in consumer behaviour prompted by COVID-19 and the resulting public health measures is important to understand in order to improve management of medicines supply during potential future waves of COVID-19 and other pandemics

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Anxiety · Business · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Diabetes mellitus · Disease · Infectious disease (medical specialty · Outbreak · Panic · Pathology · Psychiatry · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 · Toilet · Traditional medicine · Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability · Medicine · Internal Medicine · Virology

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