Healthy Skepticism Library item: 12871
Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.
Publication type: Journal Article
Sanfélix J, Palop V, Pereiró I, Rubio E, Gosalbes V, MartÃnez-Mir I.
Gender influence in the quantity of drugs used in primary care.
Gac Sanit 2008 Jan; 22:(1):11-19
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether for an equal health problem there are gender differences in the drugs used in an adult population attended in the Health Care Centers of the Valencian Community (Spain). METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out between February-August 1997. The independent variables were: socio-economic parameters, frequency of visits, and self-perceived or diagnosed health problems, and the dependent one the number of drugs consumed. RESULTS: Of the 812 patients considered, 801 consumed medication. Eighty percent of the health problems for which drugs were used involved 5 apparatuses and systems (mean: 3.3 health problems/patient). The 5 most consumed therapeutic groups accounted for 81% of the total (mean: 4.5 drugs/patient). Significant differences were recorded, with greater female consumption in the central nervous system and genitourinary tract therapeutic groups, and with greater male consumption in relation to the respiratory system and systemic anti-infectious therapy. Drug use increased with age, lowest educational level, lowest professional categories, and with the highest frequency of visits to the physician. Significant differences were also recorded in drug use by occupational status, marital status and family structure. The multivariate analysis showed the number of health problems and the frequency of visits accounted for 82.2% of the variability of the variable <
