In Germany, patient needs and expectations for medication are clearly lower than prescribing tendencies, and marked differences between patient groups in their needs or expectations for prescriptions are not reflected in the rates of prescriptions received. Above all, patients with minor illnesses wish to receive information about their illness, and they do not expect prescriptions of drugs with questionable effectiveness.

Further research should consider risk factors for entry into institutional care and mortality rates as well as questions regarding the prevention of care dependency and effectiveness of rehabilitation. Pathways through care should be analysed by focusing social variables like sex and chronic diseases of older people. Secondary analysis of process data from German statutory long-term care insurance program is a powerful tool for the study pathways through of long-term care.

The results of surveys may be influenced, to a much greater degree than previously thought, by the settings in which they are administered. Further research is needed to identify the specific influences that differ for surveys administered at home, respectively at school.

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