Sex Differences in the Use of Pain Medication in Sweden and Denmark Abstract Background: Pain is a multifaceted experience and understanding its mechanisms and effective treatment methods being of paramount interest. Sex differences in pain perception, treatment, and response are increasingly recognized as pivotal areas of investigation. Aim: This study aims to compare the usage patterns of analgesic medications between Sweden and Denmark, focusing on sex and gender differences. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional study utilizing aggregated individual-level data from national registries in Sweden and Denmark was conducted. The study focused on prescribed analgesic medications, including NSAIDs (M01A), paracetamol including combinations (N02BE), salicylic acid and derivatives (N02BA), and opioids (N02A), identified by their respective ATC- code. The analysis encompassed adult individuals aged 25 and above, in total and divided into three age groups. The studied measure was period prevalence, defined as the number of individuals per 1000 inhabitants that purchased at least one prescription during the year. Differences between men and women were calculated as risk ratios (RRs). Data were collected for the years 2022 and 2010 to provide a comparative analysis over time. Results: Clear disparities in analgesic medication usage between men and women were observed in both countries in 2022, with women generally exhibiting higher utilization rates compared to men. In Sweden, risk ratios (men/women) for NSAIDs, opioids, salicylic acid derivatives, and paracetamol including combinations were 0.76, 0.75, 0.50, and 0.63, respectively. In Denmark, similar trends were observed. The risk ratios for NSAIDs, opioids, salicylic acid derivatives, and paracetamol including combinations were 0.83, 0.78, 0.76, and 0.70, respectively. Analysis of trends from 2010 to 2022 showed change in sex differences in drug use. Furthermore, variations in usage patterns were noted between age groups. Conclusion: This study underscores the presence of sex disparities in analgesic medication usage in Sweden and Denmark in 2022. These disparities persist across different age groups and between the two countries.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-526698 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Alhabib, Aya |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för farmaci |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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