TY - JOUR
T1 - Gender differences in the prevalence and correlates of psychotropic medication use among older adults in Israel
AU - Blumstein, Tzvia
AU - Benyamini, Yael
AU - Shmotkin, Dov
AU - Lerner-Geva, Liat
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Mediafarm Group. All rights reserved.
PY - 2014/8/11
Y1 - 2014/8/11
N2 - Background: This study evaluates gender differences in the prevalence of psychotropic medications use among elderly Israelis and the socio-demographic, physical and mental health correlates of their use. Method: Data were taken from a national survey that sampled the community-dwelling Jewish population aged 65-94 in Israel. Psychotropic medications were assessed from the list of all medications recorded during a faceto- face interview. The current analysis focused on three medication groups: anxiolytics, sedatives/hypnotics and antidepressants. Results: A significantly higher use of anxiolytics was observed among women compared to men after taking into account their worse physical and mental health. Age, not being married, sleeping problems and depressive symptoms were significant correlates among men while number of non-psychotropic medications, any life trauma and being married correlated with use of anxiolytics and sedatives/hypnotics among women. The use of antidepressants was low in men and women and was related mainly to disability in ADL. Conclusions: This study points to possibly overprescribing of anxiolytics among women and low detection and treatment of depression among the elderly in general.
AB - Background: This study evaluates gender differences in the prevalence of psychotropic medications use among elderly Israelis and the socio-demographic, physical and mental health correlates of their use. Method: Data were taken from a national survey that sampled the community-dwelling Jewish population aged 65-94 in Israel. Psychotropic medications were assessed from the list of all medications recorded during a faceto- face interview. The current analysis focused on three medication groups: anxiolytics, sedatives/hypnotics and antidepressants. Results: A significantly higher use of anxiolytics was observed among women compared to men after taking into account their worse physical and mental health. Age, not being married, sleeping problems and depressive symptoms were significant correlates among men while number of non-psychotropic medications, any life trauma and being married correlated with use of anxiolytics and sedatives/hypnotics among women. The use of antidepressants was low in men and women and was related mainly to disability in ADL. Conclusions: This study points to possibly overprescribing of anxiolytics among women and low detection and treatment of depression among the elderly in general.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84937215572&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???
AN - SCOPUS:84937215572
SN - 0333-7308
VL - 51
SP - 118
EP - 127
JO - Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences
JF - Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences
IS - 2
ER -