Overview of drug use | |
Understanding, influencing and evaluating drug use. Jonathan G A Dartnell. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines, 2001 (x + 98 pp). ISBN 0 9586 198 2 4. |
The title of this book
is ambitious for such a slim volume, but the result is a very readable discussion which will be of interest to those involved in, or wishing to become better versed in, issues relating to prescription drug use. Jonathan Dartnell is a pharmacist with a long involvement in hospital drug use evaluation studies. He is well qualified to address these issues and the discussion is timely, as evidence grows of the human and financial consequences of suboptimal use of prescription drugs.
The text is extensively referenced, although readers should not assume that it provides a comprehensive review of all the pertinent research on a particular topic. The evidence presented is international, but, where possible, focuses on Australian research. The book’s strength lies in its breadth rather than its depth, particularly in Chapter 2, which is a whistle-stop tour of the “actors and factors in the drug use environment”. The result is occasionally unsatisfying, as the topics are constantly changing and many are not canvassed in sufficient detail for the interested reader. However, the references are a useful starting point for further research. This minor criticism is outweighed by the value of drawing together in one place research on so many issues. Chapter 3, “Influencing drug use”, and Chapter 4, “Evaluating drug use”, are more narrowly focused, and provide more detailed explorations of these topics. The diverse literature on strategies to influence drug use practice is well described and provides a good review of this important topic. The chapter on drug use evaluation (DUE) has a predominantly hospital focus, although its guiding principles and methods are equally relevant to the community setting. Useful appendices list the websites and summarise the focus of international networks and Australian groups interested in the quality use of medicines. What began as a literature review for a PhD thesis has found another life as a valuable resource for those interested in drug use and its evaluation. Jane Robertson
|