Potentially inappropriate medication prescribing is associated with socioeconomic factors: a spatial analysis in the French Nord-Pas-de-Calais Region.

Background: potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) prescribing is common in older people and leads to adverse events and hospital admissions.

Objective: to determine whether prevalence of PIM prescribing varies according to healthcare supply and socioeconomic status.

Methods: all prescriptions dispensed at community pharmacies for patients aged 75 and older between 1 January  and 31 March 2012 were retrieved from French Health Insurance Information System of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais Region for patients affiliated to the Social Security scheme.