%0 Journal Article %A Ramune Jacobsen %A Ola Ekholm %A Niels K Rasmussen %A Ebba Holme Hansen %A Anne Frølich %T Socioeconomic Variations in Use of Prescription Medicines for COPD: A Register-Based Study %D 2016 %R 10.4187/respcare.04335 %J Respiratory Care %P 943-949 %V 61 %N 7 %X BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine socioeconomic variations in the use of prescription medicines among elderly subjects with COPD.METHODS: Data from the Danish national administrative registers were used. The study population included 1,365 individuals >60 y old residing in the Municipality of Copenhagen and diagnosed with COPD in a hospital setting in 2007. Logistic regression analysis was applied to examine the associations between the use of all prescription medicines for obstructive pulmonary diseases and the use of long-acting bronchodilators, in subject groups of different socioeconomic position.RESULTS: The study demonstrated that approximately 90% of subjects with COPD purchased at least one prescription medicine for obstructive pulmonary diseases, whereas approximately 50% purchased a long-acting bronchodilator. Medicine use did not vary according to educational status or personal wealth.CONCLUSIONS: There were no systematic socioeconomic differences in the use of relevant prescription medicines in elderly subjects diagnosed with COPD in hospital settings in Copenhagen. However, our findings indicate a gap between guideline recommendations and observed use of long-acting bronchodilators and hence suboptimal quality of treatment in the elderly COPD population. %U https://rc.rcjournal.com/content/respcare/61/7/943.full.pdf