Women's Health and Drug Utilization
2007 (engelsk)Doktoravhandling, med artikler (Annet vitenskapelig)
Abstract [en]
Objectives. To study medication utilization and adherence to prescribed therapy in a female population in central Sweden. To study usage of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in this population and to assess how HRT users compare to non-users regarding symptom reporting, general health and other variables. To evaluate symptom prevalence adjusted for potential symptom affecting variables.
Material and methods. A cross-sectional postal questionnaire study was performed in 1995 in seven counties in central Sweden. A questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 4,200 women aged 35-64, of whom 2,991 responded (71.2%). The questionnaire contained questions on psycho-socio-economic background, quality of life, self-reported health, height and weight, climacteric symptom prevalence, and menopausal status and symptoms. It also comprised questions on medication prescribed during the past year.
Results. 40% used prescribed medication and 12% took four drugs or more. Age, educational level, self-rated health, and BMI remained significantly correlated to drug use in multivariate analysis. Adherence ranged from 15%-98% depending on age, a scheduled check-up, perceived importance of medication, concern about medication, taking cardiovascular and respiratory disease drugs. The highest adherence was found for hormonal medication the lowest for musculoskeletal medication.
HRT was used by 15% of the women. 13 % used other symptom relieving therapy. HRT users reported higher score of vasomotor symptoms, except for sweating during the daytime.
Prevalence of general symptoms did not necessarily increase with age. Especially symptoms related to stress-tension-depression decreased with age. Four different symptom prevalence patterns were found.
Conclusions. Age, health status, educational level and body mass index (BMI) appear to affect drug use. Adherence to therapy is highest among elderly women who regard their medication as important and have a scheduled check-up. HRT relieves some vasomotor symptoms but does not affect other symptoms or self-rated health. Prevalence of symptoms related to Stress-tension-depression appears to decrease with age.
sted, utgiver, år, opplag, sider
Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis , 2007. , s. 64
Serie
Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Medicine, ISSN 1651-6206 ; 276
Emneord [en]
women's health, epidemiology, drug utilisation, adherence, symptom prevalence, HRT
HSV kategori
Identifikatorer
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-8225ISBN: 978-91-554-6977-1 (tryckt)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-8225DiVA, id: diva2:170769
Disputas
2007-10-25, Hörsalen, Ingång D1, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 17, Uppsala, Sweden, 13:15
Opponent
Veileder
2007-10-032007-10-032022-03-11bibliografisk kontrollert
Delarbeid