Effectiveness of an academic detailing intervention in primary care on the prescribing of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Purpose The objective of this study was to examine the impact of an academic detailing programme in primary care in Norway on the prescribing rate of diclofenac, naproxen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in total. Methods An academic detailing programme was delivered to general practitioners (GPs) in two Norwegian cities. The key message was to avoid diclofenac and COX-2 inhibitors and to use naproxen as the NSAID of choice. We analysed prescription data for 12 months before and after the programme to estimate its impact, using interrupted time series to control for underlying trends, and using the rest of Norway as a comparator. The primary outcome was change in the proportion of the population filling a prescription for diclofenac; secondary outcomes were change in naproxen prescribing and change in total NSAID prescribing. Results Controlling for baseline trends, and relative to changes in the rest of Norway, there was a statistically significant reduction in the prescribing rate of diclofenac in both cities (− 18% and − 16%, respectively) immediately after the intervention. The impact of the programme on prescribing of diclofenac was maintained by the end of the 12 month follow-up period. An increase in the prescribing of naproxen was observed in both cities. The programme had no impact on the overall rate of prescribing of NSAIDs. Conclusion Academic detailing was effective in changing the choice of prescribed NSAID amongst Norwegian GPs. Academic detailing is potentially an important method for providing GPs with independent, evidence-based updates on pharmacotherapy to improve prescribing.