Prevalence of Over-the-Counter and Prescription Medication Use in the US.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

In the US, reliance on over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications has important public health implications. Understanding the prevalence of medication use, overall and by specific medication, aids in regulatory decision-making and pharmacoeconomic evaluations and informs measures of benefits and risks.

Objective

To estimate the current prevalence of OTC and prescription medication use in the US adult population.

Design, setting, and participants

This survey study analyzed data collected via a population-based, online survey of the US adult population (June 2023 to April 2024). Participants were volunteer online panelists aged 18 years and older.

Exposure

Use of any OTC or prescription medication.

Main outcomes and measures

The primary

SUBMITTER: Green JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12910390 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature