Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) data on opioid dispensing (and other medication dispensing) history
| Variables | Description | Justification |
|---|---|---|
| Scrambled patient ID | A unique sequence number | Enable person-level analysis and linkage to sociodemographic data set |
| Month and year of birth | Month and year when each person was born | Determine age at time of dispensing. Also used as cross-check with data in demographic file |
| Sex | Sex | Cross-check with data in demographic file |
| Date of supply | Date medicine is dispensed | Establish temporal relationship in dispensing records |
| Item code | A unique number which represents the dose form and strength of the pharmaceutical item patients receive | Identify medicines of different forms and strengths |
| ATC code | Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification code | Delineate between medicine types |
| Generic name | Generic medication name | Delineate between medicine types |
| Quantity dispensed | Quantity of medicine dispensed | Calculate defined daily dose and durations of treatment |
| Original or repeat prescription | A variable to distinguish between repeat or new prescription | Understand pattern of treatment |
| Beneficiary level | General beneficiary±safety net; concession card holder±safety net | Identify level of entitlement and determine comprehensiveness of data capture |
| PBS benefit | Amount paid by the Australian government | Determine the total cost incurred by the Australian government to supply opioids in a given calendar year |
| Prescriber scrambled ID | A unique sequence number given to each prescriber | Delineate between scripts written by different doctors |
| Prescriber location | Postcode mapped to Statistical Local Area | Establish location of practice |
| Prescriber type | Identifies primary specialty of the prescribing doctor | Identify what type of doctors prescribe medicines of interest |
| Pharmacy scrambled ID | A unique sequence number given to each dispensing pharmacy | Delineate between scripts dispensed at different pharmacies |
| Pharmacy location | Postcode mapped to Statistical Local Area | Establish location of pharmacy |