Is Drug Utilization in Greece Sex dependent? A Population‐based Study

Abstract

Despite scarce data pertaining to prescription drug sales in Greece, the lack of large-scale epidemiological studies has made it difficult to elaborate on putative differences regarding drug consumption patterns between the two sexes. Herein, we sought to investigate whether sex may have an impact on medication trends of the Greek population. The data reported are part of a survey conducted under the auspices of the National Center for Social Research. Information was collected from 2499 Athenian citizens. Probability of drug use was assessed through Pearson chi-square (v 2 ) test and logistic regression was implemented to clarify whether sex or other socio-economic and morbidity factors may influence drug utilization. Women consumed more drugs as compared to men. Sex proved to be a differentiating factor influencing the use of analgesic/non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cardiovascular, anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs, as well as drugs for the treatment of thyroid diseases and osteoporosis. Present results further implicate other socio-economic factors (e.g. education, employment and financial status) in the harnessing of drug use in Greece. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest pharmacoepidemiological study to report that Greek women consume more drugs and present different medication patterns, as compared to men. Further research is considered imperative in order for the awareness of prescribers, policy-makers and the general public on this sensitive matter to be increased.

Prevalence of self-medication in Brazil and associated factors

“…The finding that self-medication is most practiced by female individuals has also been found in other publications 2 , 4 , 9 , despite national and 11 international 3 , 8 , 14 , 22 , 26 studies indicating that self-medication is more prevalent among men. The results of this study may have influenced by the fact that women suffer more with headaches, muscle pain and chronic pain conditions, such as migraine, and use painkillers and muscle relaxers from an early age for pain relief during menstruation or dysmenorrhoea 2 , 19 .…”

“…Self-medication is a worldwide phenomenon, the prevalence of such can differ depending on the population studied, the method and the recall period employed: in Germany 9 , the prevalence for medication use on a self-medication basis was 27.7%; in Portugal 14 , this was 26.2%; in Spain 7 , 12.7%; in Cuba 8 , 7.3%; in Athens-Greece 2 , 23.4%; in the Catalonia region of Spain 20 , 34.0% among men and 25.0% among women; and in Pondicherry-India 22 , this was equal to 11.9%.…”

Time trends of antidepressant drug prescriptions in men versus women in a geographically defined US population

“…This finding confirms a number of recent studies that showed a higher use of AD in women compared to men. (Athanasopoulos et al, 2013; Atlantis et al, 2012; Kuo et al, 2011; Lockhart and Guthrie, 2011; Meng et al, 2013; Mojtabai and Olfson, 2014; Parabiaghi et al, 2011; Sundell et al, 2011; Wu et al, 2012) We also observed that the prevalence of AD prescriptions reached a peak at age 50–64 years in women but not in men. This age group corresponds approximately with the early-postmenopausal years (the median age at menopause in the United States is 51 years).…”

Misuse of prescription opioid analgesics among adolescents in Greece: The importance of peer use and past prescriptions

“…This finding corroborates those from other studies, showing that girls use medicines in higher proportions than boys and that female gender is a strong correlate of prescription analgesic abuse and dependence Simoni-Wastila et al, 2008;Stoelben, Krappweis, Rossler, & Kirch, 2000). In Greece, gender differences have also been noted in samples of the general population (Athanasopoulos, Pitychoutis, Messari, Lionis, & Papadopoulou-Daifoti, 2012;Kokkevi, Fotiou, & Richardson, 2007;Pappa et al, 2011), while in another study female gender predicted misuse of tranquilisers/ sedatives among Greek adolescent students (Kokkevi et al, 2008). The emergence of female gender as a correlate of misuse of prescription analgesics in the present study coupled with the fact that girls in Greece report drug use in significantly lower proportions than boys (Hibell et al, 2012) suggests that prescription analgesic misuse is more likely to be associated with self-treating than recreational motives.…”