SC-15 - Introduction to Drug Utilisation Research: Methods for Real World Drug Utilisation Studies

1. Course Aim
A short synopsis of the course and overall aim.
This session provides an overview of drug utilisation research (DUR) and presents essential methods used in DUR, particularly to describe and compare DU using various data sources. It is based on the conduct of real world studies with examples to provide participants with an ‘introductory working knowledge’ of DUR. The program includes interaction with participants through short assignments, Q&A parts and discussion at the end of each presentation. The session will introduce the participants to:
• The theoretical framework and practical applications of DUR
• Data sources, classification systems and measures used in DUR
• Study designs and epidemiological methods in DUR

2. Requisites Statement
This should state a) whether other courses or level of expertise (Entry, Intermediate, Advanced level) is expected and b) any pre-course materials need to be accessed or reviewed

Entry level course. This course is targeted at:
1. New members of the DUR / health services research (HSR) Special Interest Group (SIG) and graduate students new to DUR/HSR
2. Those interested in DUR who need an overview of the area and/or are interested in monitoring of medication use and quality assessment
3. Those working in healthcare organisations involved in DU monitoring and medicines policy areas

3. Course Objectives
List out your course objectives (specified in 3-6 aims)

1. To get an overview of DUR within the context of pharmacoepidemiology and HSR
2. To understand principles for classifying and quantifying DU and gain understanding of the methodological challenges
3. To achieve basic knowledge and understanding of DU measures and studies based on aggregate or individual patient data

4. Syllabus Outline
This should give a brief summary of each lecture/session (each 2-3 sentences max)

Introduction to Drug Utilisation Research: Methods for Real World Drug Utilisation Studies
• Introduction to DU research within context of pharmacoepidemiology, and set scene for the topic of the courses (opioids) by Gillian Caughey
• Methodological framework, study designs and challenges in DUR / HSR by Lisa Pont
• Data sources, drug classifications and aggregate measures of DU by Carla Torre
• Measures of medication use based on individual-level data by Andrea Burden