Determinants of older people´s preferences for dispensing doctors

Objectives: Dispensing doctors (DDs) are a central part of the medication supply in Austria. Nevertheless, they are controversial and research pays little attention to perspectives of user-groups, especially older people. Therefore, this article deals with determinants of older people’s approval of dispensing doctors.Methods: For this purpose, data from a telephone survey with people over 60 years in Lower Austria are used and evaluated by means of a logit model.Results: The results show that accessibility of medicines is a major reason for the preference of DDs. Key factors are availability of a pharmacy in close proximity (OR: 0.44), independent use of a car (OR: 1.54) and individual mobility due to health reasons (OR: 1.14).Discussion: DDs are important for older people in terms of a spatially close drug supply. A pharmacy at the place of residence only outweighs the preference for DDs if it is actually accessible for older people (taking low travel costs into account).Conclusions: The aim must be to improve access to medicines in all communities where there is no pharmacy within a reasonable distance for people with health problems or those with restricted mobility.