Patient Profile of the French Active Population Treated by Phlebotropic Drugs Dispensed on Prescription

Abstract

Objective: To determine the socioeconomic profile of French active purchasers versus active non-purchasers of prescription phlebotropics. Methods: A survey of the French adult population from December 1998 to February 1999 profiled active purchasers versus active non-purchasers of prescription phlebotropics in the previous 12 months. Results: The overall prevalence of symptomatic lower limb venous disease was 47.4%. Of the general population 26.8% took treatment, including 21.5% with prescription phlebotropics (‘purchasers’). In the active population, purchasers (17.5%) were aged 41.3 years on average and were mostly female (73% vs 44% non-purchasers; p < 0.01), lower paid and less skilled than non-purchasers (office workers: 44% vs 30%; manage-rial/professional: 10% vs 17%), worked in poorer conditions (standing for 4.2 vs 3.1 hours/day) (all p < 0.01), but had better health insurance cover (91% including complementary insurance vs 83% in the overall population). Health status and medical history were worse in purchasers than in non-purchasers. Conclusions: Prescription phlebotropic purchasers - a substantial, underprivileged and largely female fraction of the working population - have access to treatment in correlation with an adequate health insurance cover.