Women more likely to self-medicate than men
April 16th, 2011 - 6:07 pm ICT by ANIWashington, April 16 (ANI): A study has concluded that women are more likely to take non-prescribed medication than men.
The research study, which was carried out by experts from the Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid, also links this habit to nationality, income level and alcohol and tobacco consumption amongst the population.
“In spite of the negative connotations generally associated with the idea of self-medication, it is actually the most significant method of self-care for the population”, explained Pilar Carrasco, main author of the study and head of the department of Preventative Medicine, Public Health, Immunology and Microbiology at the Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid.
According to the research, 20.17 pc of Spaniards use medication without a medical prescription. Of those, it is the women that self-medicate more than the men.
This gender-based difference can be explained by referring to the exposure to the consumption of medication, which is higher in women than in men.
This is due to the fact that “women are more likely to suffer from emotional disorders and are more vulnerable in our society”, said Carrasco.
“This may be due to a greater disposition among women to acknowledge and voice their symptoms,” added Carrasco.
The study has been published in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. (ANI)
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