Colleague interactions and new drug prescribing behavior: The case of the initial prescription of antidepressants in Taiwanese medical centers

Shu-Jou Lin, Kuan-An Jan and Jen-Tse Kao

Social Science & Medicine, 2011, vol. 73, issue 8, 1208-1213

Abstract: This research explores the social factors influencing hospital physicians’ initial adoption of duloxetine hydrochloride, with a focus on colleague interactions. The study analyzes archival data compiled by the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan to examine how the prescribing decisions made by psychiatrists’ colleagues influence the likelihood of the psychiatrists’ initial prescription. The results show that the adoption ratio of a physician’s colleagues in a medical center is positively associated with the likelihood of a physician’s adoption of the new drug. Specifically, colleague groups with similar and longer tenure as well as similar and older age have significantly positive effects. Colleague groups with the same and different gender also have positive effects. In summary, tenure and age, rather than gender, are vital sources of heterogeneous colleague interactions.

Keywords: Adoption of new medicine; Prescribing behavior; Social interactions; Hospital prescribing; Taiwan; Psychiatrists (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:socmed:v:73:y:2011:i:8:p:1208-1213

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DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.06.065

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