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Medicine Takers, Prescribers and Hoarders

Ann Cartwright author Karen Dunnell author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:1st Apr '24

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Medicine Takers, Prescribers and Hoarders cover

In the early 1970s, the consumption of both prescribed and non-prescribed medicines in Britain was increasing. Originally published in 1972, this book takes a look at the medicine takers and the types of medicine they take. It examines the relationship between self-medication and prescription, and describes the frequency and nature of repeat prescribing. The medicines kept in a random sample of households were counted and analysed, and data about the length of time people hoarded medicines is used as a basis for estimating the proportion of prescribed medicines that are wasted.

By putting the views and habits of people as patients alongside information from their general practitioners the study illuminates the relationship between patients and doctors. In addition, variations between people in different social classes direct light on the distribution of care and the equity of services at the time

Reviews for the original edition:

‘This study clearly touches on a variety of questions which are of great importance to the running of the health services, but it also raises issues of profound and basic importance to the understanding of how society today deals rationally and (very properly) magically, with what it defines as illness.’ –Griffith Edwards, New Society

ISBN: 9781032718446

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 512g

192 pages